What is PAD?

Arteries carry blood and oxygen from your heart to the rest of your body. If these arteries become blocked, your feet do not receive the blood and oxygen they need to function. This condition is called PAD or Peripheral Arterial Disease.

PAD can cause pain when you walk. The pain may occur in the hips, thighs, knees, calf, or feet. One in 3 people age 70 or older has PAD. Smoking and Diabetes increase your chances of developing this condition sooner.

Patients with PAD will most commonly complain of cramps in the legs while walking that go away with rest. Some describe the pain as a tightness, heaviness, cramping, or weakness during activity. Not all individuals with PAD experience symptoms.

Severe PAD patients with significant blockages in circulation may even experience pain in the legs or feet at rest. These patients occasionally develop sores on their toes or feet. Typically these sores appear dry, gray, or black, and eventually become dead tissue called gangrene.

Some of the causes of PAD:

1. Smoking
2. Diabetes
3. High Blood Pressure
4. High Cholesterol or Triglycerides
5. Overweight

People over the age of 50 have an increased risk for PAD, and men are at greater risk than women.

The tests you will need to diagnose your PAD are as follows:

1. Your doctor should check your pulses in your feet and legs.
2. ABI (Ankle Brachial Index). This test compares blood pressure in your arms and legs. This is a simple test performed in the office.
3. Duplex Ultrasound uses sound waves to measure blood flow in your legs and feet. This is also performed in the office.
4. Pulse Volume Recordings measure the volume of blood at various points in the legs using blood pressure cuffs and Doppler. These are also performed in the office.

Once you have been diagnosed with PAD by one of these noninvasive test you may then be sent to a vascular specialist who may order more invasive MRI, CT scans, or angiography.

Treatment for PAD varies depending on how early it is detected. If caught early, changes in diet and exercise can be beneficial. Medications can also be used to lower cholesterol or to prevent clotting of your blood. In some cases more invasive treatment may be needed such as Angioplasty, Stenting, or Bypass Surgery.

In some extreme cases if gangrene has set in, amputation may be the only form of treatment. Amputation is always a treatment of last resort.

Preventing PAD

1. Manage diabetes by maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.
2. Lower cholesterol
3. Lower high blood pressure
4. Quit smoking
5. Eat more foods low in saturated fats
6. Maintain ideal body weight
7. Exercise regularly
8. If you think you may have PAD, see your podiatrist for an examination and noninvasive testing.