Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Part I – Symptoms and Screenings

Do you have pain in your legs during physical activity like walking that gets better after you rest? While pain in the legs is the most common and noticeable symptom of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), 4 out of 10 people with the condition experience no pain at all. PAD blood affects as many as 10 million people in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, other symptoms of PAD may include:

• Coldness in the lower leg or foot, especially when compared with the other side
• Leg numbness or weakness
• No pulse or a weak pulse in the legs or feet
• Painful cramping in one or both hips, thighs, or calf muscles after certain activities, such as walking or climbing stairs
• Shiny skin on the legs
• Skin color changes on the legs
• Slower growth of the toenails
• Sores on the toes, feet or legs that won't heal
• Pain when using the arms, such as aching and cramping when knitting, writing or doing other manual tasks
• Erectile dysfunction
• Hair loss or slower hair growth on the legs

PAD can occur in the legs or arms but is usually found in the legs. The disease is a sign of atherosclerosis or a narrowing of the arteries due to plaque buildup that decreases blood flow.

PAD Screenings

If you experience any of the symptoms, it’s important to contact us for a PAD screening. It is also recommended that people older than 50 years of age with a history of diabetes mellitus or smoking should have an ankle blood pressure test. In addition, anyone older than 65 years of age should undergo an ankle blood pressure test to evaluate for PAD. The guidelines are the same for men and women. Part 2 of this blog will be posted next month and include more on risk factors, treatment and prevention.

Advanced Vascular & Vein Associates in Flowood, Mississippi, is the first outpatient-based laboratory in Central Mississippi. The practice, led by vascular surgeons Dr. Danón Garrido and Dr. Rishi Roy, is proud to provide life-changing, cutting-edge vascular care to a population and region that has not had easy access in the past. Services at Advanced Vascular & Vein Associates include highly effective minimally invasive treatments for peripheral artery disease (PAD), chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), varicose veins, carotid artery disease, arterial occlusion, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT or blood clot). Their diagnostic services are also available onsite for convenience.