Overview
Peripheral artery disease is a common circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to limbs. When the blockage in legs arteries got developed, your legs don't receive enough blood flow to keep up with demand. This causes symptoms, most notably leg pain when walking. Peripheral artery disease is also likely to be a sign of a more widespread accumulation of fatty deposits in your arteries. Arterial blockage leg may be reducing blood flow to your heart and brain, as well as your legs. The artery in leg and feet can get blocked, just like the arteries in your heart. When this happens, less blood flows to your legs. Occasionally, if your leg arteries are badly blocked, you may develop foot pain while resting or a sore that won't heal.
Symptoms
While many people with peripheral artery disease have mild or no symptoms, some people have leg pain when walking (claudication).Claudication symptoms include muscle pain or cramping in your legs or arms that's triggered by activity, such as walking, but disappears after a few minutes of rest. The location of the pain depends on the location of the clogged or narrowed artery. Calf pain is the most common location. PAD is a common disorder. It most often affects men over age 50, but women can have it as well. People are at higher risk if they have a history of Abnormal cholesterol, Diabetes, Heart disease, High blood pressure or the habit of Smoking.
Treatment
When leg arteries become narrowed or blocked by plaque it causes peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), a condition that raises the risk of heart attack, stroke, leg amputation and death. As patients are unaware of this condition generally, PAD remains under-diagnosed and under-treated. In PAD, characteristically, there is a reduction in blood flow to the lower extremities due to plaque build-up in the leg arteries. Angioplasty is a procedure to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels that supply blood to your legs. Fatty deposits can build up inside the arteries and block blood flow. A stent in leg - a small, metal mesh tube that keeps the artery open. Angioplasty and stents in legs placement are two ways to open blocked peripheral arteries. You often can successfully treat peripheral artery disease by quitting tobacco, exercising and eating a healthy diet.
