Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)

The most common symptom of Peripheral arterial disease is claudication. The fat and cholesterol build up on the artery walls cause a lack of blood flow, causing a condition referred to as ischemia. Ischemia is a condition that results when there is a greater demand for oxygen than the supply.

Claudication is a condition that causes cramping in the legs and buttocks. As mentioned, the pain and clamping flares up when you start to walk and subsides when you rest. Intermittent claudication affects about 50 percent of individuals suffering from peripheral artery disease. Some of the other common symptoms include loss of hair around the ankles, numbness or coldness in your feet.

Pain and cramping while walking may lead to a more sedentary lifestyle, meaning that the individual will burn few calories and add weight. An increase in weight also increases cholesterol, blood pressure, and other heart disease risk factors. The claudication severity often varies from mild discomfort to debilitating pain, making it hard for you to walk or perform other types of physical activities. Other common symptoms of the peripheral arterial disease include;

• In extreme cases, an open wound or ulcer occurs on your toes or feet. These extreme cases lead to non-healing ulcers. The ulcer can progress to gangrene, making it hard for you to walk. In such a scenario, immediate medical attention is necessary.
• Weakness or numbness in your legs
• Coldness in your lower feet, especially when you find one foot is colder than the other one.
• Experiencing pain in your feet or toes while you are resting
• Sores on the legs, feet, and toes that do not heal
• Slower toenails growth
• Change in the color of your feet
• Erectile dysfunction in men can be treated by prostate arterial embolization (PAE), which also treats benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
• Weak pulse in your feet or legs
• Developing shiny skin on your legs
• Having pain in your arms, especially when writing, knitting, or performing manual tasks

As the peripheral disease progresses, you may start to experience pain even when you are lying down. In extreme cases, the pain becomes intense enough to distract your sleep. Resting your legs by hanging them at your bed edge or walking around the room helps stimulate blood flow, relieving the pain temporarily.

Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of peripheral artery disease. Atherosclerosis develops when plaque has built up inside the artery wall. The plaque is usually made up of cholesterol and fat buildup. The condition starts when the plaque builds enough to narrow an artery, restricting blood flow. Next, the plaque may become inflamed or brittle, causing a rapture that triggers a blood clot to form. The blood clot will narrow the artery further or block it entirely. Blockages in the arteries can lead to life-threatening conditions. For instance, if the carotid artery is blocked, it can cause a stroke.

If the blockages remain in the legs’ peripheral arteries, it can lead to pain, skin discoloration, sores, and difficulty in walking. In extreme cases, complete loss of circulation to the feet and legs can lead to gangrene and limb loss.

Other common PAD causes

• If you do not have atherosclerosis, the following conditions may also cause Peripheral Artery Disease.
• Injury to your arms or legs
• Exposure to radiation
• Inflammation or infection of a blood vessel
• The irregular shape of your ligaments or muscles

According to the American Heart Association reports, it is estimated that about 8.5 million Americans, most of them aged above 50 years, suffer from PAD. While doctors have not found the exact cause that leads to plaque buildup in the arteries, controlling various PAD risk factors can help in reducing the plaque deposits in the artery.

• Smoking

Smoking is one of the main contributors to the onset of peripheral artery disease. Smoking usually damages the arteries’ inner layers. As the body attempts to heal itself, plaque often builds upon the damaged area. The condition also leads to the formation of blood clots (thrombi). Thrombi tend to stick to the artery walls, narrowing the space for blood flow even further. According to the National Institutes of Health, ceasing to smoke is shown to be effective in reducing or eliminating the PAD effects.

• Lack of Exercise

Lack of exercise is another strong indicator that is connected to peripheral arterial disease. Patients suffering from PAD will benefit enormously by exercising regularly. Regular workouts improve blood flow and boost overall health by reducing blood sugar and blood pressure. It also helps lower cholesterol, which is the main constituent of plaque.

• High Cholesterol, Diabetes & High Blood Pressure

Patients who have diabetes are also at high risk of PAD due to high blood sugar. High blood glucose is connected to plaque buildup in the arteries. Medical practitioners state that controlling Type II diabetes through the proper diet, exercise, glucose monitoring, and medication helps in reducing PAD risks. Patients diagnosed with high blood pressure and high cholesterol are also at increased risks of PAD. Maintaining a healthy diet and exercise can help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, which is key to reducing PAD risks.

• Blood Vessel Inflammation

PAD is not always linked to plaque buildup in the arteries. The condition may also develop due to blood vessel inflammation, which also causes the arteries to narrow. People with leg injuries may also be at high risk for PAD. The condition is also caused by radiation exposure and unusual ligaments and muscle anatomy.

Other factors that increase the risks of developing artery disease include

• Obesity, especially in people with a body mass index over 30
• People suffering from heart disease. According to The American Heart Association reports, people with heart disease have a 1 in 3 chance of having PAD
• Increasing age, especially people aged over 65 years. Individuals aged 50 years and have the risks factors for atherosclerosis have a higher chance of contracting PAD
• Hereditary factors- if your family has a history of peripheral artery disease, stroke, or heart disease
• People with high levels of Homocysteine. Homocysteine is an amino acid that helps the body to make protein and tissue building
• Gender – males are at a higher risk than females

It is also important to note that in Peripheral arterial disease, the risk factors are addictive. This means that if a person has a combination of two risk factors, such as smoking and high cholesterol, this individual is at an increased risk of having a more severe PAD than an individual with only one risk factor has.