Dr. Buchanan’s interest in this emerging specialty is driven by a desire to improve quality of life for patients with peripheral vascular disease (PVD). The same blockages that affect the heart arteries also affect the carotid, renal and leg arteries, resulting in PVD. Aging patients face an increased risk of the disease. However, their symptoms are often asymptomatic or simply attributed to aging by patients. Dr. Buchanan has considerable experience in making PVD diagnoses, which might help decrease the chances of stroke, myocardial infarction and cardiovascular death.