What are the symptoms of PAD?
PAD rarely offers warning signs to its estimated 8 to 12 million victims, who are generally older adults. Only a third of the afflicted have leg pain from PAD, two-thirds of people really don't have symptoms. Symptoms, however, can include: pain, ache, cramp or severe fatigue in one or both legs when walking (this pain will subside upon resting, but returns after walking a similar distance) – so that those affected slacken their walking pace, or stop altogether. In later stages of progression, leg circulation may be so poor that pain occurs in the toes and feet during periods of inactivity, especially at night. This is known as rest pain. Rest pain commonly worsens when the legs are elevated and is relieved by lowering the legs (due to the effects of gravity on the leg circulation). As the condition worsens the integrity of the skin is affected with easy bruising, infections (cellulites) and ulcers may form. Due to the inadequacy of the circulation, antibiotics often are not sufficient to cure infections in compromised legs and gangrene may require amputation.
Isn’t PAD part of the normal aging process and, therefore, not preventable?
No. Although the likelihood of acquiring PAD increases with age the vast majority of diagnosed patients are able to control this progressive condition with proper medical treatment.
What are the risk factors for PAD?
Risk factors for PAD are much the same as for cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease. They are age, smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, and family history. Of these, by far the most important is cigarette smoking – especially for those smoking more than 15 cigarettes a day.
How is PAD diagnosed?
The diagnosis of PAD is relatively easy when a patient is having classic symptoms. A common presentation is the person that goes to the physician for recurring calf discomfort after a certain distance of walking, that disappears with rest, and reappears when walking the identical distance again. A physician can also make the diagnosis by noting the absence or diminution of a pulse on examination, or by hearing a noise called a bruit over a blood vessel with a stethoscope. This is why the doctor checks your pulses in places like your feet, or listens to the blood vessels in your neck. Sometimes however, pulses are normal and there are no bruits. For this reason, several different types of tests may be used.
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