Prevention Of Peripheral Artery Disease

The best way to prevent intermittent claudication is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This means:

Stop smoking if you smoke.

If you have diabetes, keep blood sugar in good control.

Exercise regularly. The goal for 30 minutes at least three times a week, when you have a medically OK.

Lower cholesterol and blood pressure, if necessary.

Eat foods that are low in saturated fat.

Maintain a healthy weight.

Treatment Of Peripheral Artery Disease

The treatment of peripheral arterial disease has two main objectives. The first is to control symptoms such as pain in the legs, so you can resume physical activities. The second is to stop the progression of atherosclerosis through its body to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

You may be able to achieve these goals with lifestyle changes. If you smoke, quitting is the most important thing you can do to reduce your risk of complications.

If lifestyle changes are not enough, you have the need for additional medical treatment. Your doctor may prescribe medication to prevent blood clots, blood pressure and cholesterol, and controlling pain and other symptoms.

Drugs

Cholesterol. You can take a cholesterol-lowering drug called a statin to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. For people who have peripheral arterial disease is to reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) "bad" cholesterol below 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg / dl), or 2.6 millimoles per liter (mmol / L). The goal is even lower if you have other major risk factors for heart attack and stroke, especially diabetes or continued smoking.

High blood pressure medications. If you also have high blood pressure, your doctor may prescribe medication to lower it. The goal of this therapy is to reduce systolic blood pressure (the top number in two digits) 140 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or diastolic blood pressure lower and you (the bottom number) of 90 mm Hg. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure goal of less than 130/80 mmHg.

Drugs in the blood sugar level. If you also have diabetes, it is even more important than blood sugar (glucose). Talk to your doctor what your blood sugar goals are and what steps to take to achieve these objectives.

Drugs to prevent blood clotting. Because peripheral arterial disease is associated with reduced blood flow to the extremities, it is important to reduce the risk of blood clots. Blood clot can completely block blood vessels already narrowed and cause tissue death. Your doctor may prescribe a daily aspirin therapy or other drugs that help prevent blood clotting, such as clopidogrel (Plavix).

Symptom relief drugs. The drug cilostazol (Pletal) increases blood flow to the legs by preventing blood clots and by widening the blood vessels. It specifically contributes to the symptom of claudication, leg pain, for people who have peripheral arterial disease. Common side effects of this medicine include headache and diarrhea. An alternative to cilostazol is pentoxifylline (Trental), but is generally less effective. But the side effects are rare with this medicine.

Angioplasty and surgery

In some cases, angioplasty or surgery may be needed to deal with peripheral arterial disease, which causes intermittent claudication:

Angioplasty. In this procedure, a small hollow tube (catheter) threaded through a vein in the affected artery. There is a small balloon at the tip of the catheter is inflated to reopen the artery and block flat in the artery wall, while at the same time stretching the artery open to increase blood flow . The doctor may also insert a mesh frame called a stent into the artery to help keep it open. The same procedure doctors use to open the arteries of the heart.

Bypass surgery. Your doctor may create a bypass with a vessel from another part of the body or blood vessels in synthetic fabric. This technique allows blood to flow around - or bypass - blocked or narrowed artery.

Thrombolytic therapy. If you have a blood clot prevents the artery, the doctor may inject clot-dissolving drug to the site of arterial clot to break it.

Supervised exercise program

In addition to medications or surgery, your doctor may prescribe supervised exercise program to increase the distance you can walk without pain. Regular exercise improves the symptoms of PAD, a number of methods, how to help your body to use oxygen more efficiently.

Symptoms Of Peripheral Artery Disease

While many people with peripheral arterial disease have mild symptoms or not, some people have pain in the leg while walking (intermittent claudication).

The symptoms of intermittent claudication, muscle pain or cramps in the legs or arms that is triggered by activity such as walking, but disappears after a few minutes of rest. The location of pain depends on the location of the blocked or narrowed artery. Calf pain is the most common.

The severity of intermittent claudication varies greatly, from mild discomfort to debilitating pain. Severe intermittent claudication can make it difficult to walk or do other physical activities.

Peripheral arterial disease symptoms include:

Painful cramps in the muscles of the hip, thigh or calf after exercise, like walking or climbing stairs (intermittent claudication)

Numbness or weakness in the legs

Hot on the leg or foot, especially when compared with the other leg

Sores on the toes, feet or legs that do not heal

Colors can change your feet

Hair loss or slow hair growth on your feet and legs

Slower growth of the nails

Shiny skin on your legs

No pulse or a weak pulse in the legs or feet

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If peripheral arterial disease progresses, pain can also occur when you are at rest or when lying down (ischemic pain at rest). It can be powerful enough to disturb sleep. Legs dangling on the edge of the bed or walking around the room, can temporarily relieve pain.

When to see a doctor

If you have any leg pain, numbness or other symptoms, do not dismiss it as a normal part of aging. Call your doctor and get an agreement.

Even if you do not have symptoms of peripheral arterial disease, you may need to be screened if:

Over 70 years

Over 50 years of age and have diabetes or smoking

Less than 50 years of age, but diabetes and other peripheral arterial disease risk factors such as obesity or hypertension

Causes Of Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral arterial disease is often caused by atherosclerosis. In atherosclerosis, fatty deposits build (plaques) in your artery walls and reduce blood flow.

Although the heart is usually the focus of discussions of atherosclerosis, the disease can and usually affects the blood vessels in the body. When he arrives in the arteries that supply blood to the limbs, it causes peripheral arterial disease.

Less frequently, the cause of PAD can be an inflammation of blood vessels, limb injuries, the unusual anatomy of muscles or ligaments, or exposure to radiation.

Peripheral Artery Disease Overview

Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral artery disease is a common circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to its members.

In developing peripheral arterial disease (PAD), the limbs - usually your legs - do not get enough blood to meet demand. This causes symptoms such as leg pain when walking (intermittent claudication).

Peripheral arterial disease is probably also a sign of a larger accumulation of fatty deposits in arteries (atherosclerosis). This condition can reduce blood flow to the heart and brain and legs.

Often you can successfully treat peripheral arterial disease by leaving the smoking, exercise and healthy eating.