All You Need to Know about Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), a disorder that increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, leg amputation, and death, is caused when the arteries in the legs narrow or become clogged by plaque. PAD continues to be underdiagnosed and undertreated as a result of patients’ widespread ignorance of this ailment. Blood flow to the lower extremities is typically decreased in PAD because of atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup in the leg arteries. Plaque is made up of a mixture of lipids, cholesterol, and other chemicals. Blood flow via an artery can be dramatically reduced when plaque size increases.

Leg artery hardening and clogging limit blood flow to the legs and foot. Complete or partial blockages of peripheral arteries result in pain, temperature and colour changes, sores or ulcers, and difficulty walking. Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI), a disease in which the leg’s blood supply is insufficient to maintain the tissue’s viability, can develop from PAD if it is not addressed. Due to a complete lack of circulation to the legs and feet, gangrene develops, necessitating amputation. Additionally, hardened arteries are a sign of the likelihood of hardened and narrowed arteries in the heart and brain in people with Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Risk Elements

Risk factors for PAD (Peripheral Arterial Disease), a chronic illness, include:

• Smoking cigarettes
• Diabetes
• Being overweight (BMI greater than 30)
• A higher-than-normal blood pressure reading (140/90 millimetres of mercury)
• Over 240 milligrammes per deciliter of total blood cholesterol is considered high cholesterol.
• Increasing age, particularly after turning 50.
• Positive family history of stroke, heart disease, or peripheral artery disease.
• Increased homocysteine, a protein component that aids in tissue synthesis and maintenance.

Due to decreased blood flow, those who smoke or have diabetes are most at risk of developing peripheral artery disease.