Do your legs ache or cramp when you walk or exercise, only to stop after a few minutes of rest? Do you have a toe or foot wound that has not healed? These are a few of the more common symptoms of a condition known as Peripheral Arterial Disease, or PAD.
What is PAD?
PAD is a common yet potentially serious condition. Some sources state that it effects one person in 20 over the age of 50, and both men and women equally. PAD develops most often as a result of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Arteries serve the purpose of sending oxygenrich blood throughout the body. The inner walls of healthy arteries are smooth, which allow the blood to flow freely and the oxygen to easily meet the body’s demands. When plaque (fat, cholesterol or scar tissue) builds up on the artery walls, the arteries narrow, or harden. The blood flow is reduced which limits the oxygen delivered to peripheral areas of the body like the legs. If PAD is not identified and treated, the artery can eventually become blocked, leading to gangrene (tissue death) and limb amputation. PAD can also be a warning sign of blocked arteries in other parts of the body.
PAD is a red flag in that it is associated with other lifethreatening vascular diseases that could lead to stroke or a heart attack. In fact, women who have PAD are at four times the risk of heart attack and stroke. PAD is too often under-recognized in women, which is why screening and testing for the disease is so important.
Maybe I’m Just “Getting Old”
Many women dismiss leg pain as “just a part of getting older.” But this symptom, as well as foot, ankle or toe sores that don’t heal, leg or foot discoloration (including paleness or blueness) or a marked temperature change in the legs and feet as compared to the rest of the body, can be warning signs of PAD. Unfortunately, 50 to 90 percent of women who have PAD have no recognizable symptoms of the disease, which puts them at an even greater risk. Specifically, women are less likely to have intermittent claudication, which is pain in the calf or thigh muscle that occurs after you have walked a certain distance. Risk factors such as heredity and aging cannot be controlled. Other factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and unhealthy eating habits can put you at a greater risk for PAD and should be managed to help prevent or slow the progression of the disease.
The Key Is Early Detection
PAD is easily diagnosed, and with effective treatment the risks of more severe complications can be significantly reduced or eliminated. Your physician can refer you to a facility that performs diagnostic exams for PAD. This non-invasive, peripheral vascular exam is safe, painless and requires no preparation on your part. During the procedure, a gel is placed along the course of the arteries in the legs. A transducer glides across the legs converting sound waves into a computerized image. This is known as duplex/arterial ultrasound imaging. The technologist checks blood pressure and circulation in the legs and arms, and you may feel a gentle squeezing from the blood pressure cuff and hear swishing-like sounds from the equipment. The test will be interpreted by a physician trained in non-invasive peripheral vascular testing, and the results sent to your physician.
How is PAD treated?
For those who are diagnosed with PAD, there are multiple treatment options ranging from conservative to more aggressive. The conservative treatments include medication and exercise training to help “teach” your leg muscles to use the oxygen they are getting more efficiently, allowing you to walk further without pain. If PAD is more severe, surgery such as angioplasty, where a catheter with a small balloon on the tip is inserted into the artery to widen the passageway, or peripheral bypass surgery, where a path is grafted around the artery blockage, may be recommended. Treatment is based on the severity of the PAD, your overall health and other factors as determined by a qualified physician.
Can I prevent PAD?
There are certainly steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting the disease. Once you have PAD, however, it doesn’t go away. You can slow the disease process or reduce your risk of acquiring PAD by making the following healthy lifestyle changes:
• Take steps to manage your blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes if you have it.
• Stop smoking. The chemicals in tobacco decrease your circulation and injure your artery walls.
• Control your diet. Change what you eat to include less saturated fats and more fruits and vegetables. Try to lose any excess weight that can contribute to high blood pressure.
• Care for your feet. Keep your feet clean and trim your toenails properly. Try to keep your feet warm in cold weather, since poor circulation can increase your risk of frostbite.
• Exercise daily. Talk to your doctor about starting a walking regimen, and be sure to wear shoes with thick rubber soles and good arch supports.
• Ask your doctor if you should be evaluated for PAD.
Identifying PAD can be life-saving for women, and treatment can greatly influence the outcome of the disease as well as serious complications that may arise as a result of PAD. For more information on peripheral arterial disease, visit www.advancedmobilediagnostics.com and talk to your physician. tpw
What is PAD?
PAD is a common yet potentially serious condition. Some sources state that it effects one person in 20 over the age of 50, and both men and women equally. PAD develops most often as a result of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Arteries serve the purpose of sending oxygenrich blood throughout the body. The inner walls of healthy arteries are smooth, which allow the blood to flow freely and the oxygen to easily meet the body’s demands. When plaque (fat, cholesterol or scar tissue) builds up on the artery walls, the arteries narrow, or harden. The blood flow is reduced which limits the oxygen delivered to peripheral areas of the body like the legs. If PAD is not identified and treated, the artery can eventually become blocked, leading to gangrene (tissue death) and limb amputation. PAD can also be a warning sign of blocked arteries in other parts of the body.
PAD is a red flag in that it is associated with other lifethreatening vascular diseases that could lead to stroke or a heart attack. In fact, women who have PAD are at four times the risk of heart attack and stroke. PAD is too often under-recognized in women, which is why screening and testing for the disease is so important.
Maybe I’m Just “Getting Old”
Many women dismiss leg pain as “just a part of getting older.” But this symptom, as well as foot, ankle or toe sores that don’t heal, leg or foot discoloration (including paleness or blueness) or a marked temperature change in the legs and feet as compared to the rest of the body, can be warning signs of PAD. Unfortunately, 50 to 90 percent of women who have PAD have no recognizable symptoms of the disease, which puts them at an even greater risk. Specifically, women are less likely to have intermittent claudication, which is pain in the calf or thigh muscle that occurs after you have walked a certain distance. Risk factors such as heredity and aging cannot be controlled. Other factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and unhealthy eating habits can put you at a greater risk for PAD and should be managed to help prevent or slow the progression of the disease.
The Key Is Early Detection
PAD is easily diagnosed, and with effective treatment the risks of more severe complications can be significantly reduced or eliminated. Your physician can refer you to a facility that performs diagnostic exams for PAD. This non-invasive, peripheral vascular exam is safe, painless and requires no preparation on your part. During the procedure, a gel is placed along the course of the arteries in the legs. A transducer glides across the legs converting sound waves into a computerized image. This is known as duplex/arterial ultrasound imaging. The technologist checks blood pressure and circulation in the legs and arms, and you may feel a gentle squeezing from the blood pressure cuff and hear swishing-like sounds from the equipment. The test will be interpreted by a physician trained in non-invasive peripheral vascular testing, and the results sent to your physician.
How is PAD treated?
For those who are diagnosed with PAD, there are multiple treatment options ranging from conservative to more aggressive. The conservative treatments include medication and exercise training to help “teach” your leg muscles to use the oxygen they are getting more efficiently, allowing you to walk further without pain. If PAD is more severe, surgery such as angioplasty, where a catheter with a small balloon on the tip is inserted into the artery to widen the passageway, or peripheral bypass surgery, where a path is grafted around the artery blockage, may be recommended. Treatment is based on the severity of the PAD, your overall health and other factors as determined by a qualified physician.
Can I prevent PAD?
There are certainly steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting the disease. Once you have PAD, however, it doesn’t go away. You can slow the disease process or reduce your risk of acquiring PAD by making the following healthy lifestyle changes:
• Take steps to manage your blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes if you have it.
• Stop smoking. The chemicals in tobacco decrease your circulation and injure your artery walls.
• Control your diet. Change what you eat to include less saturated fats and more fruits and vegetables. Try to lose any excess weight that can contribute to high blood pressure.
• Care for your feet. Keep your feet clean and trim your toenails properly. Try to keep your feet warm in cold weather, since poor circulation can increase your risk of frostbite.
• Exercise daily. Talk to your doctor about starting a walking regimen, and be sure to wear shoes with thick rubber soles and good arch supports.
• Ask your doctor if you should be evaluated for PAD.
Identifying PAD can be life-saving for women, and treatment can greatly influence the outcome of the disease as well as serious complications that may arise as a result of PAD. For more information on peripheral arterial disease, visit www.advancedmobilediagnostics.com and talk to your physician. tpw