Peripheral Artery Disease
The disease of blood vessels located outside the brain and heart, Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) affects approximately 16% of Americans aged 60 and above. It can lead to stroke and heart attack. Also, Critical limb ischemia – a condition that requires amputation of the affected limb. It is relatively common in African-Americans, smokers, and men.
PAD restricts the blood flow to various body parts such as the arms, kidneys, stomach, and most frequently, the limbs. This happens because of atherosclerosis. That is the narrowing down of arteries carrying blood to various body parts due to the build-up of plaque. Plaque is fatty deposits, consisting of cholesterol and cellular waste products.
Other than this, PAD can also occur due to blood vessel inflammation, exposure to radiation, injury to limbs, and unusual anatomy of muscles or ligaments.
Detecting PAD can be a bit tricky given that many people suffering from this disease either have mild to no symptoms at all, or they might have leg pain that varies in severity.
Some signs and symptoms of PAD are as follows:
- Weakness or numbness in Leg
- Coldness in the limbs or feet
- Sores on toes, feet or legs
- Hair loss or decreased growth of hair on legs and feet
- Cramps in hips, thighs, or calf muscles even after less-demanding physical activities
- Erectile dysfunction in men
- Weak or no pulse in lower parts of the body such as feet or legs
The ideal method of recovering from PAD or preventing it in the first place is to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. This includes abstaining from smoking, eating low-fat and cholesterol-free foods, exercising regularly, keeping blood pressure and blood sugar in check, and maintaining the optimum weight according to one’s biomass.
It is recommended that in case you have the above-mentioned symptoms and if you are 50 years or older, then you consult a doctor.
Additional Peripheral Artery Disease Resources:
www.heart.org/en/health-topics/peripheral-artery-disease
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/peripheral-artery-disease/pad-resources
If you have additional questions, please contact us.
