Diabetics urged to monitor leg health.

2004 FEB 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- There's grim news on the diabetes front: Nearly two-thirds of diabetics aren't properly controlling their blood sugar, and one in three older diabetics likely also has a serious leg disease that could cost their limb, or their life.

This year, specialists for the first time are urging every diabetic over age 50 to get tested for the leg disease, called peripheral arterial disease or PAD.

Testing is simple, just check blood pressure in the ankle. If it's significantly lower than blood pressure in the arm, PAD may be narrowing leg arteries and slowly choking off blood flow.

Severe PAD can lead to amputation. Worse, if your leg arteries are …