LEWISTON – Nearly 40 people in the Greater Lewiston/Auburn area were advised to seek further medical attention after learning they are at risk for a common condition that makes walking and exercising painful and that can have potentially fatal health consequences.

They were among 150 people who were seen at a free Peripheral Vascular Disease screening recently conducted at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center.

PVD, which affects 10 million Americans, is caused by blocked blood flow in the arteries to the legs and often causes pain or swelling, numbness, skin discoloration and difficulty walking.

The medical center took part in the annual Legs For Life National Screening for PVD Leg Pain on Sept. 11 and 12. The nationwide program is sponsored by the Society of Interventional Radiology. Screenings are conducted by multidisciplinary teams led by members of the society.

Vascular disease such as PVD is most common among men and women over age 50, people suffering from diabetes, people who smoke and people with high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels. PVD starts so quietly, however, that many people may not recognize they have a problem.

Early detection and treatment of vascular disease is important. The earlier it is identified and treated, the better the chance that the condition can be controlled with lifestyle changes, such as exercise, diet improvement, and, if the person smokes, smoking cessation.

For free educational material on PVD, consumers can visit the Legs For Life Web site, www.legsforlife.org. Those interested in being screened for PVD should consult their primary care provider. To locate local providers accepting patients, call the Physician Referral Line at 777-8899.