Peripheral artery disease, also called PAD, or peripheral arterial disease, is a disease of the artery (blood vessels) located in the outer part of the heart and brain. It is a common condition in which small arteries reduce blood flow to the arms, legs, kidneys, or stomach.
In peripheral artery disease (PAD), the legs, kidneys, stomach, and arms, but mostly the legs, don’t get enough blood to function correctly. This may lead to numbness and pain in the leg when walking.
Peripheral artery disease is usually caused by a build-up of fat deposits in the arteries (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis causes the arteries to become smaller, thereby reducing the blood flow in the legs and, sometimes, the arms, kidneys, and stomach.
A study proves that about 8.5 million people in the U.S. are victims of peripheral artery disease. It affects about 12-20 percent of Americans over 60. It is more common for Black Americans and is most likely to affect men than women.
Peripheral artery disease can be treated by exercising, eating a healthy diet, and not smoking. Plus, you are in luck today if you want to learn about these things because this article will discuss more details you should know about them. So, you should read until the end to learn more about the condition.
Causes of Peripheral Artery Disease
Peripheral artery disease is usually caused by a build-up of fatty, cholesterol, and other substance deposits on the artery walls. This process is called atherosclerosis. It blocks the flow of blood through the arteries.
Atherosclerosis affects all blood vessels in the body. However, when it occurs in the arteries giving blood to the limbs, it causes peripheral artery disease.
Sadly, peripheral artery disease is often not diagnosed, and it’s usually not treated and not adequately understood by many medical professors. To correctly understand peripheral artery disease, look at some of the causes.
1) Diabetes
People who have diabetes have a high risk of developing peripheral artery disease. Research carried out by the American Diabetes Association proves that 20% of all the patients who showed symptoms of PAD had diabetes. There is still a more significant number of people suffering from both PAD and diabetes.
Usually, patients with diabetes tend not to feel pain due to peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is described as weakness or numbness of a patient’s hands and feet, often caused by nerve damage.
As a result of this numb feeling PAD patients have, it is most likely that a patient with both diabetes and PAD will not notice the symptoms of PAD until the more painful symptoms, such as ischemic, ulcers, or gangrene, start to occur. However, a patient suffering from only peripheral artery disease might notice the less painful symptoms of PAD earlier than a patient suffering from both PAD and diabetes.
2) Smoking
Smoking is another major cause of PAD, but fortunately, it can be prevented. A smoker of cigarettes has a higher chance of developing PAD. Although many people are unaware of this, smoking is a more prominent gear risk factor for peripheral artery disease than coronary artery disease. Also, smokers experience peripheral artery symptoms about ten years earlier than non-smokers.
Additionally, smokers have a higher risk of developing atherosclerosis. A study proves that 70–90% of the patients who have severe limb ischemia were either smokers in the past or are current smokers.
Chronic limb ischemia is the most advanced form of peripheral artery disease in which patients suffer from foot wounds and ulcers. Also, chronic limb ischemia patients cannot heal wounds and may need an amputation. Amputations are more common in patients who have been heavy smokers.
3) High Cholesterol
Having high cholesterol levels increases one chance of developing PAD and coronary artery disease. Research by the Centres for Disease Control proves that over 60% of patients with the peripheral arterial disease suffer from high cholesterol.
Also, the higher a person’s cholesterol level, the higher their risk for developing chronic leg pain. However, if a patient treats their high cholesterol level, they may be able to reduce their chances of developing PAD.
4) Age
As people get older, so also do their chances of developing atherosclerosis increases. Usually, middle-aged or older patients often have a lot of fat built up in their arteries and begin to experience PAD symptoms.
Also, according to research, the risk of developing peripheral artery disease increases after age 40. Patients in their 60s and 70 have a 10% risk of developing PAD, and as the general world population grows older, there will likely be more PAD cases as time goes on.
5) Hypertension
High blood pressure is another major cause of peripheral artery disease and the development of fatty deposits in general. 90% of patients suffering from peripheral artery disease are hypertensive as well. This means that high blood pressure (hypertension) is a significant risk factor for PAD. High blood pressure can damage a person’s arteries and lead to conditions like PAD.
6) Chronic Kidney Disease PAD risk
Chronic kidney disease is another major cause of peripheral artery disease. Patients with severe kidney disease have a higher risk of developing PAD and its symptoms when compared to individuals with standard nephric function.
Typical atherosclerosis risk factors, such as age, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidaemia, are also quite common in patients with chronic kidney disease. Not just that, chronic kidney disease also has its unique risk factors that increase patient chances of developing peripheral arterial disease. These risk factors include chronic inflammation, a pro-calcific state, and hypalbuminemia.
How Do You Treat Peripheral Artery Disease?
Changing your lifestyle, taking medications, and undergoing some procedures can help treat PAD.
Changes in Lifestyle
Peripheral artery disease treatment starts with making significant lifestyle changes to reduce your chances of developing it. Some of the lifestyle changes you can make to control your condition include:
- Quit smoking
- Start eating healthy food that is high in fibre and low in cholesterol and fat.
- Doing more exercise
- Managing your conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, etc.
- Lastly, practice good foot and skin hygiene
Medication
Antihypertensive medications can help you with conditions such as high blood pressure, while statin medication can help with conditions such as high cholesterol and diabetes. These medications treat the risk factors of PAD and decrease your stroke and heart attack risk.
Conclusion
There are several different causes of peripheral artery disease. And although all of the causes, except for smoking, cannot be avoided, there is still a good treatment option for peripheral artery disease.
Lumivascular atherectomy is a process that allows a trained vascular surgeon to see the inside of your arteries and safely remove any contaminated tissue without harming any of the healthy tissue. If you’re a PAD patient and want to improve blood flow in your arteries, a Lumivascular atherectomy could be the perfect option.
Related articles: