ankle-brachial index
Also written as: ABI — ankle-brachial index
A non-invasive test comparing blood pressures in arms and ankles to detect peripheral artery disease.
Full Definition
The ankle-brachial index is a simple, non-invasive diagnostic test that compares the systolic blood pressure measured at the ankle with that measured at the arm to assess for peripheral artery disease. An ABI of 0.9-1.3 is considered normal, while values below 0.9 indicate peripheral artery disease and significantly increased cardiovascular risk. The test is particularly valuable for identifying asymptomatic peripheral artery disease and further risk stratifying patients for cardiovascular prevention strategies.
Usage
Usage note: Always hyphenate. Results should be reported as decimal values, not percentages.
In Context
- "The patient's ankle-brachial index of 0.75 confirmed peripheral artery disease and warranted antiplatelet therapy." — Diagnostic test result
- "ABI testing may be considered for cardiovascular risk assessment in asymptomatic adults over 65." — Screening guideline