What the PAD is going

The muscles in your legs cramp or feel heavy. You have pain in your lower leg when you walk. You’re fatigued. You think you’re just tired. Then, suddenly your foot is cold and you have little to no pulse in it.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a narrowing or blockage of the vessels that carry blood from the heart to the feet and legs other limbs. Most people don’t have symptoms of PAD until the blockage is advanced. Often by then it has caused a stroke or a heart attack. In some cases it has caused gangrene and led to the loss of a foot or leg.

Patients will often say, “I thought something wasn’t right, but I thought I was just tired.”

The most common symptom is numbness and pain in the legs when walking or doing other exercises. Some with PAD have sores on their feet or legs that don’t heal quickly or shiny skin on their legs.

Those at risk include people who smoke, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes and/or are obese. Those with a family history of those issues, heart attack, stroke, or of PAD are also at risk.

If you have any of these risk factors or are experiencing symptoms, talk with your primary care provider about whether you could benefit from a screening. AtlantiCare offers free Dare to Care screenings for those who qualify. We check for carotid artery disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and extremity artery disease – which includes PAD. The screenings are and take less than 20 minutes. We share results with you and your physician in seven to 10 days.

Treatments for PAD range from making heart-healthy lifestyle changes to medical treatments including widening arteries, removing plaque from arteries, and doing bypass surgery.

To prevent PAD, if you smoke, quit. Maintain a healthy weight and consume foods and liquids that are low in saturated fat. Control your cholesterol and blood pressure levels. If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and other health issues, talk with your healthcare provider to learn how to manage them.

Among the most important steps you can literally take is to get moving. Inactivity can lead to PAD. Physical activity will also help to lessen pain if you do have PAD.

The other step is to not make excuses. If something doesn’t feel right, trust your body. Call 609-484-7355 to schedule a FREE Dare to Care screening today.

By: James Herrington, M.D., medical director, Vascular Surgery.