Peripheral Artery Disease (“PAD”), also known as Peripheral Vascular Disease, often has no symptoms.  And there are several conditions that can lead to poor circulation.  People who experience symptoms often mistake them for something else, like a back or muscle problem.  The most common symptom is painful cramping in the hips, thighs, or calves while walking, climbing stairs, or exercising.  This is because the muscles are not getting enough blood flow due to plaque buildup, creating a blockage in the arteries.  The pain usually subsides after the person stops exercising.

PAD can lead to open sores that don’t heal, injury or infection of the feet and legs, especially if you also have diabetes.  Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is the extreme of this condition and can cause gangrene, which sometimes requires amputation of the affected limb.

Risk factors such as aging or a personal or family history of PAD, cardiovascular disease or stroke cannot be controlled.  However, other risk factors can be controlled such as cigarette smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.  Those who smoke are generally diagnosed with PAD ten years earlier than non-smokers.

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