African-Americans run higher risk of amputation from vascular disease

By April Clarkson, June 10th, 2013 | Health | 0 Comments

A study reveals that various ethnic groups are more likely to have a limb amputated because of poor circulation.
Diabetes and other diseases that give rise to problems in the circulation increase the risk of amputation of the lower limb. This becomes necessary when circulation becomes so sluggish that the area becomes starved of blood and oxygen, and tissue death occurs. Amputation is an extreme solution, for sure, but sometimes it really is necessary.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medical School have analysed information on over 27,000 patients having amputations due to vascular disease (circulation problems). The rates increased from 41.4 cases per 100,000 of the population to 47.2 per cent over this period. And rates for African-Americans were two to four times higher than for their white counterparts. There were also higher rates for Hispanics and Native Americans.

The reasons for this ethnic disparity in amputation rates are unclear. Further research needs to clarify whether, perhaps, fewer procedures, such as angioplasty, which might relieve vascular problems, are being done on these populations.