The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has released the Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) Guidelines to help health care providers treat patients with this common condition. The guidelines offer best practices for managing diseases of the aorta and arteries that supply blood to the legs, feet, kidneys, and intestines.

More than 12 million Americans have PAD. The guidelines, which emphasize early detection and treatment to prevent disability and save lives, include:

* recommended assessment questions, such as asking the patient if he's experiencing any leg discomfort with exercise or at rest

* clinical clues to detecting renal artery stenosis, such as onset of hypertension before age 30

* recommended treatments for aneurysms

* evaluation of vascular imaging tests and other diagnostic tools

* clinical pathways and treatment algorithms.

For more about the guidelines, visit the ACC's Web site at http://www.acc.org.