Peripheral Arterial Disease
What are peripheral arteries?
If you suffer from decreased blood flow to your arms or legs, you may have peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
Arteries are blood vessels that transport blood from your heart to all the other parts of your body. Peripheral arteries carry blood from your heart to your legs, arms, feet and hands.
What is peripheral arterial disease?
This serious disease strikes when your arteries build up with sticky plaque and begin to narrow, reducing blood flow to your limbs, most prevalently in your legs. Men and women with peripheral arterial disease have an increased risk for stroke and heart attack.
What are the risk factors that cause peripheral arterial disease?
Obesity
High blood pressure
Smoking
What are the symptoms of peripheral arterial disease?
In its early stages, most people with peripheral arterial disease don’t have any observable symptoms. As the disease progresses some common signs emerge, such as:
- Numbness
- Cramps
- Sores that heal slowly
- Coldness in feet and legs
- Pain during physical activity
- Skin ulcers
- Loss of hair on legs
- Shiny skin
- Erectile dysfunction
- Pain in calf or thigh
- Poor nail growth on toes
- Brittle toenails
How is peripheral arterial disease treated?
Dr. Patel uses an advanced X-ray called an angiogram to look inside your blood vessels and arteries to identify areas of narrowing. If you receive a diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease, Dr. Patel may recommend one of the following:
- Lifestyle changes: quit smoking, modified diet, exercise
- Blood pressure or clot-eliminating medications
- Angioplasty: use of a balloon to widen an artery
- Stent placement to open blockages
- Atherectomy: a small cutting device that is affixed to a catheter and deployed to the artery to remove plaque
How is peripheral arterial disease treated?
Dr. Patel uses an advanced X-ray called an angiogram to look inside your blood vessels and arteries to identify areas of narrowing. If you receive a diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease, Dr. Patel may recommend one of the following:
- Lifestyle changes: quit smoking, modified diet, exercise
- Blood pressure or clot-eliminating medications
- Angioplasty: use of a balloon to widen an artery
- Stent placement to open blockages
- Atherectomy: a small cutting device that is affixed to a catheter and deployed to the artery to remove plaque
Is peripheral arterial disease preventable?
The following steps should be taken to prevent or stabilize peripheral arterial disease:
For diagnostics and specialized care for your peripheral arterial disease, contact us for a consultation or book online.
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