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Peripheral artery disease and intermittent claudication

Description

An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of peripheral artery disease.

Alternative Names

Peripheral arterial disease; PAD; Peripheral vascular disease;

Highlights

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Risks

Smoking, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and diabetes are the main risk factors for PAD. According to a 2006 study in Circulation , they affect PAD in different ways:

• Smoking and high cholesterol are more likely to cause PAD progression in the large vessels of the legs. Painful cramps in the hips, thighs, and calves -- especially those that occur during exercise -- are the tell-tale symptoms.
• Diabetes is more likely to cause PAD progression in the small vessels of the feet. Symptoms include foot ulcers that are slow to heal.

According to the American Heart Association, quitting smoking is the best way to prevent PAD and slow its progression. Patients should also control cholesterol through exercise, diet, and medications.

PAD and Heart Disease

• Patients with PAD have a 1 in 5 chance of having a heart attack or stroke, or dying from a heart-related event, within the course of a year, indicates a 2007 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association ( JAMA ). Blood clots in other arteries (brain, heart) further double this risk.
• PAD also increases the risk of dying from heart surgery or other interventional heart procedures, suggests a 2006 Journal of the American College of Cardiology study. Surgeons should take extra care when treating patients with PAD.

Exercise is Essential

• Exercise is important for preventing PAD, and essential for those with the disease. According to a 2006 Circulation study, patients with PAD who are the most physically active have a third of the chance of dying than those who are inactive.
• For patients who have difficulty walking, arm aerobics may be a helpful alternative and can actually help improve walking ability, suggests research presented at the 2006 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.

• Review Date: 3/29/2007
• Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital

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