Community Corner
Identifying Peripheral Artery Disease
PAD sufferers often think symptoms are the result of some other benign condition.
Peripheral Artery Disease, or PAD, can be a rather sneaky condition because people often think the symptoms are the result of some other benign condition.
Usually, when an artery in the arm or leg is narrowed, blood flow to the muscle becomes restricted causing cramping or pain while walking, exercising or climbing stairs. The cramping may resolve (In severe cases, it may persist for a while.) when the person returns to a resting state, but resume whenever the person becomes active again.
Individuals who have PAD are at an increased risk of having coronary artery disease and complications with their limbs that could even lead to amputation of a foot or leg if left untreated. Those with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes or a history of smoking are at an increased risk of developing PAD, but the good news is that this condition is relatively easy to diagnose and can be managed with lifestyle and diet modifications, in the same way one would manage heart disease.
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The important thing about PAD is to report symptoms to your physician.
If you are consistently having pain and cramping in your extremities with increased activity, then you should bring it up with your doctor. Many doctors will not consider testing for PAD unless you say something, so speak up!
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Early diagnosis and detection will prevent many problems later on in life, some of which can be pretty serious. Diagnosing PAD is usually painless, using non-invasive methods such as the Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI), doppler and ultrasound testing, Computed Tomographic Angiography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA).
In some cases, you may be referred for a Peripheral Angiogram, which is a minimally invasive procedure that involves injecting contrast dye into arteries to view blockages under X-ray. During this procedure, narrowed arteries can be opened and repaired to re-establish blood flow if necessary. This procedure may be a little uncomfortable for some people, but it is effective.
If you suspect you may be suffering from PAD, talk to your doctor as soon as possible or contact the Cardiovascular Center at .
