Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) Test: How to Perform

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Visit our page on the ABI here: stanfordmedicine25.stanford.e...
This video provides a simple demonstration of how to perform an Ankle Brachial Index test in at the bedside of a patient in an office or hospital. The Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) is a measure of ankle pressure divided by the pressure at the arm. The test is performed with a simple handheld Doppler and a blood pressure cuff, taking measurements at the ankle and arm.
This video is from a the Stanford Medicine 25: an initiative to enhance the culture of bedside medicine and physical diagnosis. Visit our website to learn more. The ankle brachial index is one of our "25" diagnostic techniques that we teach.

[@annetteasbury887]

Who was the idiot who gave this demonstration a thumbs down? This was so simple and well done. Thank you so much for your time and instruction Dr. Cooke.

[@StanfordMedicine25]

Annette Asbury :)

[@ernestocaamano7818]

Maybe they thought that thumbs down is to download the video 🤣

[@andybowman9697]

I agree. I was looking at other vids and this one is very clear and concise. Real proof there than you can't please everyone I guess, lol.

[@DwightLivesMatter]

Maybe because some people simply don't like it? Not everyone has to. Grow up.

[@elszonnekind]

Els de ridder Hamme Wielstraar

[@ammarali6252]

Really talented Physician. Up to the point and clear!

[@StanfordMedicine25]

thank you very much!

[@drwalifchbeir4205]

Very informative. I enjoyed the instructions given for the dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial arteries and the table of normal and pathological values provided at the end of presentation as well as their therapeutic implications.

[@broganhogan3469]

AWESOME video... thank you, Doctor!!

[@sharonmooney3286]

Excellent. Very well represented and able to understand. Thank you.

[@Nettie_lou]

Very informative and easily understood. Thanks!

[@komalbhardwaj307]

Thank you so much Professor ❤️ learned a lot from you

[@peterclauter9132]

Thanks Dr. Cooke, loved the video. Even though this was done 8 years ago, can you believe that?! Anyways, hope you're doing well and your stoke is high.

[@fakhrudinrumat3428]

Great Video, crystal clear. Very useful. Thank you.

[@nnekababy]

Thanks so much! Pack full of info with no fluff.

[@sherrymelton285]

Great video! Wonderful demo.

[@buianh5294]

Very easy to understand, thank you very much, Doctor!

[@DoloresDavis-cw8tr]

Very helpful. Helped me understand much easier than the textbook I had.

[@abdulazimsaffaf8899]

greeeeat!
thanks a lot Stanford 25

[@stephensanchez201]

I never leave comments. But this is really well done & breaks down the formulas/severities at the end. Thank you for sharing this

[@DwightLivesMatter]

Why don't you leave comments?

[@afonsodeportugal]

@@DwightLivesMatter Because the FBI can track him.

[@paulMcGlothin]

Excellent, informative video!

[@michaelragaee]

That was so helpful, please do more:)

[@HuyPham-om8pf]

Simple excellent technique. Thank you so much from a second year Podiatry student from Australia.

[@StanfordMedicine25]

Thank you for the message!

[@yvonneachterman9305]

Thank you, Stanford! Studying for a test!!

[@muj3595]

Thank you for this video, why do we use the highest brachial/ ankle for when we calculate the ABI?

[@Ak-lh1ip]

Is it too late to thank Doc? You deserve that even after 4 years :)
Ps: Any pdf document version of this instruction would be appreciated Doc.

[@rumit9946]

excellent job stanford medical

[@katema1833]

Thank you for the teaching!

[@KatieF307]

I do the evaluation using a portable ultrasound unit. It works well. This is a great video.

[@matsbartram7642]

Very helpfull video, i have to teach this as a student assistant and it helps so much to have clear visual information on the performance of the test!

[@giobasta6918]

OH MY GOD, PLEASE DO MORE VIDEOS ON PHYSICAL EXAMINATION. I SIMPLY LOOOOOOOOOOOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

[@joseluizm.garcia998]

Very usefull information that can be used by anyone. Thank you so much

[@LittlePurpleBook]

Excellent explanation!

[@drkmlakshmipathy]

Thank you so much for this useful video on ABI..lots of regards from Chennai 🙏happy new year 2022.

[@MsReLoves]

Best Video on ABI index

[@docdrkadirgokhanatilgan4273]

thank you so much for your valuable knowledge share with us

[@wonderfulwyoming]

Very helpful! Thank you!

[@Zaloomination]

This video helped me understand the procedure AND how to locate the dorsalis pedis and ant/posterior tibial pulses. Thank you!

[@mohammadaftab904]

I am Very Thankful ; with best wishes

[@wholeNwon]

Wise to first assess for aortic regurgitation. With a little practice, one can measure the index with a cuff and an appropriate stethoscope.

[@johnreidy2804]

Thank you for this very informative video .

[@dierob005]

Excellent, thanks.

[@chockpea]

Can I ask should the soundwave be exactly the same (or close to) for the arm and the ankle? I had a doppler done on lower legs and couldn't hear any sound waves around my ankle and foot but did hear it in upper legs. Thank you.

[@chris_euphoria]

Perfect explanation

[@sunving]

Thanks Doctor

[@estebantosu]

Bellísimo y muy util, muchas gracias 😸

[@user-op1lx9nf3d]

Just Superb!

[@Gfc707]

Helpful video.

[@Aaronsandova-rs3ns]

thanks doctor

[@rolandodeleon3781]

Excelent video, it helped me a lot

[@kirstenoldale2029]

Thanks! Great video

[@titaniasanty713]

Thanks a lot ,, this is great information.......

[@widirusmono5305]

THANKS !!

[@popitoto]

Thank you for the demonstration,is this test can be done by a cardiologist?I mentioned to a cardiologisty fatigue and heavy legs but he made only un echogram and electrogram

[@bonvivant1807]

Awesome, thanks! ❤️

[@MissFussyNZ]

great video thanks!

[@rebeccawong3656]

great info

[@zacmiller8181]

Excellent video. Thanks!

[@StanfordMedicine25]

You're welcome!

[@ronelgallon6949]

Well done!

[@ingridsommer2232]

Thank you

[@moshfiqurchowdhury3698]

Wonderful

[@JunimiseryaZalukhu]

Very useful, Thankyou

[@harreaza]

Excellent!

[@StanfordMedicine25]

Thanks!

[@brianphilippe4104]

I think it is very important to use doppler instrument for BOTH brachial and ankle measurements. Some clinicians use a sphygmomanometer and stethoscope for the brachial and doppler for ankle. I think consistency in measurement methods improve accuracy and our patients deserve the most accurate result.

[@DocHemulin]

There are many hand held dopplers to choose from(with different MHz) , how do I know which one to choose?

[@jesuslima4380]

Great demonstration. Suggestion: hire a cameraman that can manually focus, autofocus can be a headache !

[@minoion1234]

nice description

[@annapieropan8696]

Super!!!!

[@cesaretoueg8870]

très intéressant facile et très claire Thanks

[@StanfordMedicine25]

thanks and you're welcome!

[@tuqa2798]

can i use a stethoscope if there is no available Doppler

[@hkp007]

Can we use stethoscope in place of doppler?

[@jimquantic]

Does anyone know? This procedure is NOT covered via Medicare, but I need it done. Best place to have it done on a cash basis?

[@luisamartin662]

These are two different blood pressure cuffs, right?

[@rajasingammuthusamy959]

When suffering from arterial calcium plaque, and heart attack, why the doctor prescribed calcium-coated statins. How does the calcium coated helps.

[@Chris-rq4uu]

Great instructional video. Quick question: I noticed in the video the exam was conducted with the patient supine; should this exam always be conducted with the patient in the supine position? I'm assuming so since it is my understanding that different positions could alter the pressures you are finding in the ankles. Thanks for the clarification.

[@StanfordMedicine25]

Yes Chris. Supine is best so pressure's in arm vs legs don't vary due to gravity.

[@delen93]

Can we measure ABSI , if the waveform in Doppler is mono phasic for DPA and PTA .

[@Rickytikkitavi]

Is this done assuming EF is normal?

[@waelhamajjo4076]

Hi
Does it work in patients with pitting odem . Is it easy to hear?

[@Raxorium]

Yeah, it's still pretty easy to hear the sound through edema. You could also just press down.

[@truthandthewholetruth2436]

Can someone explain how you calculate it please. Am getting confused. Do you add both arm results and divide the leg result to give your score 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

[@shah1494]

Check both arms and choose the one with higher reading

[@leoaquino1479]

❤

[@tudvalstone]

Is diastolic pressure not important?

[@wholeNwon]

Of course it is but not for this purpose.

[@xVAxD0min0xVAx]

Great video.
P.S. It's "less than" not "less then" XD

[@kailashpatel1706]

0.8 or less, Ultrasound ASAP..

[@roberta8673]

Simple way- you only need a blood pressure monitor device from Amazon. Just take the reading on your arm then your ankle. Ankle reading divided by arm reading 1.0 and over you’re good. 0.9-0.99 borderline blockage, below 0.9 PAD.

[@williamwinder5011]

Sounds like nails on a chalkboard to me.

[@trespasser121]

OR you can take the blood pressure in 10 seconds with a $50 BP monitor from Wal-Mart .. it's what my doctor does.

don't get it. why is end result 1.1?