Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is also known as a peripheral vascular disease. It is a disorder that occurs in the arteries where the blood vessels outside of the heart narrow down. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen from the heart to all other parts of the body. Generally, most people with PAD mistake their symptoms for other conditions or do not have any symptoms. Painful muscle constraints in the hips or thighs while walking, climbing stairs, or exercising is the most common symptom of PAD. Other common symptoms of PAD are:
- Claudication or muscle pain in the lower limb while walking or climbing stairs
- Leg pain that does not go away even after one stops exercising
- The lower leg or foot may feel chilled
- Color changes of the skin (redness or pale skin)
- Increased occurrence of infections
- Sores on the legs, toes, or feet that do not heal quickly
- Numbness and weak pulse in the legs
- Gangrene (dead tissue caused by an infection or lack of blood flow) in the toes
The goal of treatment for peripheral artery disease is to manage the symptoms and slow down the progression of atherosclerosis throughout the body. The treatments that will help in reducing the risk of complications associated with PAD are:
Physical exercise
Initially, the doctor prescribes an exercise program. Exercise is recommended at least three times a week, and each session should last longer than 30 to 45 minutes. The best exercise options are walking on a monitored treadmill until claudication develops. Patients are monitored for the irregularities in the heart rhythm during exercise.
Lifestyle changes
During the early stages of PAD, the symptoms can be managed by making some lifestyle changes. Smoking causes reduced blood flow in the vessels which makes PAD worse and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke as well. It is necessary to quit smoking to avoid such complications.
Medications
If lifestyle changes and exercise patterns aren’t enough, a patient may need medications. Medications for PAD include:
- Cholesterol-lowering medications: Atorvastatin, simvastatin, or other statins
- Medications to control high blood pressure: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
- Medications to prevent blood clots: Clopidogrel or aspirin
- Diabetes medications may be necessary to control blood sugar
Surgery and other procedures
In some cases, if the medications are not effective, angioplasty or other surgical procedures are necessary to treat peripheral artery disease.
- Angioplasty: It is a nonsurgical procedure to restore blood flow through the artery. In this procedure, a small hollow tube (catheter) is inserted into an artery in the arm and advanced to the area where the artery has narrowed. A small balloon on the tip of the catheter is pumped up to enlarge the artery. It helps in stretching the artery open and increases blood flow.
- Bypass surgery: Bypass surgery is performed if blood flow in the limbs is blocked. The doctor carries out a bypass surgery to allow the blood to flow around or bypass the blocked or narrowed artery.
- Thrombolytic therapy: This therapy involves the administration of medications called lytics (clot busters) to dissolve blood clots that have suddenly blocked the major arteries or veins. If one has a blood clot blocking an artery, the doctor tries to break the clot by injecting a clot-dissolving medicine at the point of the clot.
Depending on the severity of the disease, the doctor performs the right treatment to provide relief from the symptoms of peripheral artery disease.
