Browns Mills, NJ – Deborah Heart and Lung Center will host its annual Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) screening event on Saturday, September 19, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The complimentary screening will be held in person by appointment only at the Deborah Specialty Physician’s office in Toms River, located at 599 Route 37 West, Second Floor, Toms River, New Jersey.

PAD is a vascular disease that occurs when arteries become clogged with fatty cholesterol deposits, reducing blood flow to the legs. The number of people affected by PAD continues to grow, driven in part by the rising rates of obesity and diabetes. PAD currently affects more than 18 million individuals nationwide.

Common symptoms include:

• Painful cramping in one or both hips, thighs or calf muscles after walking or climbing stairs (claudication)
• Leg numbness or weakness
• Coldness in a lower leg or foot, especially when compared with the other side
• Sores on the toes, feet or legs that won’t heal
• A change in the color of legs
• Hair loss or slower hair growth on feet and legs
• Slower growth of toenails
• Shiny skin on legs
• No pulse or a weak pulse in legs or feet

In addition to the risk of amputation, individuals with PAD are at significantly higher risk for heart attack, stroke and death. Fortunately, PAD can be detected early and managed effectively with lifestyle changes, medication and non-surgical procedures.

You may be at risk for PAD if you have any of the following factors:

• Smoking (current or former)
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• African-American ethnicity
• History of heart disease, heart attack or stroke
• Family history of PAD, heart disease or stroke
• Obesity (BMI over 30)
• Age 50 or older

Deborah’s PAD screening event includes a test called the ankle-brachial index, a painless, noninvasive procedure that compares the blood pressure in your ankles with the pressure in your arms. This test can help determine if you may have PAD. If appropriate, additional noninvasive testing may be recommended.

Participants may also receive a complimentary blood sugar screening. While this screening can provide helpful preliminary insights, fasting four-hours prior to screening is recommended for the most accurate blood sugar assessment.

About Deborah Heart and Lung Center

Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, New Jersey, is a teaching hospital in the prevention, diagnosis, research and treatment of heart, lung and vascular diseases. Founded in 1922, Deborah has treated more than 2.3 million hearts from every corner of the United States and 87 countries. From performing the first adult and pediatric open-heart surgeries in New Jersey, to achieving the lowest open heart surgery mortality risk in the state as recognized by the New Jersey Department of Health, Deborah is consistently recognized as a leader overall and in patient care from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It is ranked among the top hospitals in New Jersey for patient satisfaction; holds a top-tier Society of Thoracic Surgeons rating, which places Deborah among the best cardiac surgery programs in North America; and is rated High Performing by U.S. News & World Report in four specialties: COPD, Heart Arrhythmia, Heart Bypass Surgery, and Heart Failure.