Intermediate
Technical
IVT
ankle-brachial index
Also written as: ABI — ankle-brachial index
A non-invasive diagnostic test measuring the ratio of blood pressure at the ankle to that at the arm, used to detect peripheral artery disease.
Full Definition
The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a simple, non-invasive diagnostic tool that compares blood pressure measurements taken at the ankle and upper arm. An ABI below 0.9 indicates peripheral artery disease, which is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. This test is particularly valuable in cardiovascular prevention as it identifies patients who may benefit from more aggressive risk factor modification, even when they have no symptoms of claudication.
Usage
Usage note: Always hyphenated when used as a compound modifier.
In Context
- "The patient's ankle-brachial index of 0.7 prompted initiation of antiplatelet therapy despite absence of claudication symptoms." — Clinical assessment report
Also known as
ABI
Don't confuse with
arterial-brachial index