Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) occurs when the arteries that carry blood to the arms or legs become narrowed or clogged which interferes with normal blood flow. PVD generally affects people over the age of 50, but many people dismiss the signs as a normal part of aging and therefore do not seek medical help.
However, PVD is usually caused by atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. This is a gradual process in which cholesterol builds up inside the walls of the arteries and forms plaque that clogs the blood vessels. PVD can also be caused by blood clots which become lodged in arteries and subsequently restrict blood flow.
Many people are familiar with these processes around the heart, but don’t realize they occur in the arms and legs as well. However, restricted blood flow from atherosclerosis or clots can lead to a number of health problems including heart attack and stroke. Therefore, it is important to seek medical attention before the problem becomes too severe.
Symptoms of peripheral vascular disease include:
• Leg or hip pain while walking, which subsides when you rest
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Weakness in the legs
• Burning or aching pain in the feet or toes when resting
• Sore on leg or foot that won’t heal
• Cold legs or feet
• Color change in skin or legs or feet
• Loss of hair on legs
There are as many as 10 million people in the United States who are at risk for PVD and an estimated 4 million of these people suffer from leg pain. Risk factors for PVD include:
• over the age of 50
• smoking
• diabetes
• overweight
• lack of exercise
• high blood pressure or high cholesterol
• a family history of heart or vascular disease
If you have peripheral vascular disease, there are a number of treatment options available to you depending on your overall health and the severity of the disease. Sometimes, lifestyle changes are enough to manage the disease. When they are not, your physician may prescribe medication to prevent further disease, or suggest a minimally invasive procedure to open the clogged vessels and restore normal blood flow.
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