Brief Answer:
Peripheral vascular disease versus heart failure

Detailed Answer:
Dear patient,

Thanks for the query. In regards to your husband's cold extremities, the most common reasons for it would be "bad circulation" or peripheral vascular disease, particularly if he had a significant smoking history, or heart failure. An ABI is a non invasive ultrasound test that can be done to diagnose peripheral vascular disease, and the cheapest way to look at the squeezing function of the heart is an echocardiogram.


Hope that helps, wish you the best,

Dr Brenes-Salazar MD
Mayo Clinic MN
Department of Medicine
Division of Cardiovascular Diseases

---