Sores/ulcers on the affected limb that do not heal.
Skin that is smooth, shiny, or cool to the touch in the affected area.Muscle atrophy (muscle loss) of the affected limb.Pain, aches, and/or cramps in the buttocks, hip, or thigh.However, in PAD, the artery is unable to respond appropriately to the increased demand for oxygen by the muscles, as a result, the leg muscles are overly saturated with lactic acid, resulting in pain of the muscle that only goes away with rest. Normally, the arteries would be able to increase the amount of blood flow and therefore increase the amount of oxygen going to the exercised leg. This occurs because during exercise the muscles of the leg need more oxygen. The pain is usually located in the calf muscles of the affected leg and relieved by rest. The most common presenting symptom is intermittent claudication, which causes pain and severe cramping when walking or exercising. About 66% of patients affected by PAD either do not have symptoms or have atypical symptoms. The signs and symptoms of peripheral artery disease are based on the part of the body that is affected. Peripheral arterial disease resulting in necrosis of multiple toes In 2015 PAD resulted in about 52,500 deaths, which is an increase from the 16,000 deaths in 1990. PAD in the developed world is equally common among men and women, though in the developing world, women are more commonly affected. In the developing world, it affects 4.6% of people between the ages of 45 and 50 and 15% of people between the ages of 85 and 90. In the developed world, it affects about 5.3% of 45- to 50-year-olds and 18.6% of 85- to 90-year-olds. In 2015, about 155 million people had PAD worldwide. Procedures used to treat the disease include bypass grafting, angioplasty, and atherectomy. Anticoagulants such as warfarin are not typically of benefit. Aspirin does not appear to help those with mild disease but is usually recommended in those with more significant disease due to the increased risk of heart attacks. Medications, including statins, ACE inhibitors, and cilostazol may also help. In those with intermittent claudication from PAD, stopping smoking and supervised exercise therapy improve outcomes. It is unclear if screening for peripheral artery disease in people without symptoms is useful as it has not been properly studied. Angiography is more accurate and allows for treatment at the same time however, it is associated with greater risks. Duplex ultrasonography and angiography may also be used. PAD is typically diagnosed by finding an ankle-brachial index (ABI) less than 0.90, which is the systolic blood pressure at the ankle divided by the systolic blood pressure of the arm. Other mechanisms include artery spasm, blood clots, trauma, fibromuscular dysplasia, and vasculitis. The most common underlying mechanism of peripheral artery disease is atherosclerosis, especially in individuals over 40 years old. Other risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney problems, and high blood cholesterol. The greatest risk factor for PAD is cigarette smoking. Up to 50% of people with PAD do not have symptoms.
Complications may include an infection or tissue death which may require amputation coronary artery disease, or stroke. Other symptoms include skin ulcers, bluish skin, cold skin, or abnormal nail and hair growth in the affected leg. The classic symptom is leg pain when walking which resolves with rest, known as intermittent claudication. Peripheral artery disease most commonly affects the legs, but other arteries may also be involved – such as those of the arms, neck, or kidneys. When narrowing occurs in the heart, it is called coronary artery disease, and in the brain, it is called cerebrovascular disease. Peripheral artery disease ( PAD) is an abnormal narrowing of arteries other than those that supply the heart or brain. Stopping smoking, supervised exercise therapy, surgery Īnkle-brachial index < 0.90, duplex ultrasonography, angiography Leg pain when walking that resolves with rest, skin ulcers, bluish skin, cold skin Ĭigarette smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol. Interventional radiology, vascular surgery Peripheral vascular disease (PVD), peripheral artery occlusive disease, peripheral obliterative arteriopathyĪn arterial insufficiency ulcer in a person with severe peripheral artery disease
Medical condition Peripheral artery disease