Peripheral Artery Disease, also known as Peripheral Arterial Disease, is a medical condition in which your arteries become narrowed, leading to reduced blood flow to the legs and arms. If there is reduced blood flow in your leg, it can cause leg pain when walking or claudication. Peripheral Artery Disease, also PAD, indicates an accumulation of fatty deposits in your arteries, a condition termed atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis results in PAD by narrowing your arteries which reduces the rate of blood flow to your legs and arms. In this post, we will look at the possible treatment options for St. Louis peripheral artery disease.
What Are the Symptoms of PAD?
In most cases, people with peripheral artery disease have mild to no symptoms. The common symptom is leg pain when waking or muscle pain in the arms or legs when exercising. This leg pain is commonly felt in the calf, and the pain ranges from mild to severe. The following are some of the peripheral artery disease symptoms:
- Weak or no pulse in the feet or legs
- Skin color changes on the legs
- Leg weakness or numbness
- Erectile dysfunction
- Slower growth of the toenails
- Shiny skin on the legs
- Slower hair growth on the legs
- Abnormal coldness in the lower foot or leg
- Sores on the legs, feet, or toes
- Painful cramping in either one or both of the thighs, calf muscles, or hips after certain activities
- Pain when using your arms, such as cramping and aching when doing other manual tasks
Causes of peripheral artery disease
The most common cause of the peripheral arterial disease is atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a gradual process where fatty materials build up inside your arteries. Below are some of the common risk factors of peripheral artery disease:
· Injury to the limbs
· High blood pressure
· Abnormal anatomy of the ligaments and muscles
· Excessive smoking
· Blood clots in the arteries
· Advancing age, especially after 65 years
· Family history of heart disease or stroke
How is peripheral artery disease diagnosed?
There are many ways in which peripheral artery disease can be diagnosed, as explained below:
- Angiography. This procedure is performed with vascular treatment procedures. Here, a contrast agent is injected into your artery, and X-rays are done to show blood flow.
- Computed tomographic angiography (CT). This non-invasive medical test takes images of your arteries in the legs, abdomen, and pelvis.
- Ankle-brachial index. This test helps compare the blood pressure in the arm with the blood pressure in the ankle.
- Doppler and ultrasound imaging. This non-invasive method views your artery using sound waves and measures the blood flow to check for blockage.
- Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA). This provides the same information as a CT scan but eliminates using X-rays for viewing.
Treatment options for peripheral artery disease
A recent study has proven that the most effective treatment for peripheral artery disease is doing regular leg exercises. Your healthcare provider may recommend other treatment options such as:
1. Diet adjustments. Since increased cholesterol levels can cause PAD, you should take diets low in trans fat, cholesterol, and saturated fat.
2. Medications. Your healthcare provider may prescribe anti-hypersensitive medications and statins to help lower your cholesterol levels.
3. Stop Smoking. Excessive tobacco use can greatly increase your risk of PAD, stroke, and heart attack. That said, you will be advised to stop smoking to help prevent the progression of peripheral artery disease and other heart-related illnesses.
4. Surgery. For severe cases of PAD, your healthcare provider may recommend angioplasty, which is the surgical repair or unblocking of a clogged blood vessel.
Midwest Institute for Non-surgical Therapy offers you reliable outpatient services for any of your health concerns, including Peripheral Artery Disease. Led by a board-certified radiologist, Goke Akinwande, MD, and the highly skilled medical team you are guaranteed to receive personalized treatment options. Get started today and book an appointment or call our offices today.
