Peripheral Arterial disease also known as PAD is one of the common diseases in which it restricts blood supply to the leg muscles by building fatty deposits in the arteries. PDA is also a form of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).
Causes
- Build up of fatty deposits in the walls of the leg arteries.
- Smoking.
- High blood pressure.
- High cholesterol
- Growing older.
- Diabetes.
- Family history of PAD.
- Obesity.
- High levels of homocysteine
Symptoms
- Ache in legs while walking.
- Pain may be worse in 1 leg.
- Hair loss on your legs and feet.
- Numbness or weakness in legs.
- Erectile dysfunction in men
- Shiny skin on your legs
- No pulse or a weak pulse in your legs or feet
- Sores on your toes , feet or legs that won’t heal
- Coldness in one of the legs
- Painfully cramping in one or both of your hips, thighs or calf muscles after certain activities, such as walking or climbing stairs.
Treatment
- Treatment trough medications like cholesterol lowering, High blood pressure, blood sugar level control, prevention of blood cuts, symptom relief medications.
- Angioplasty and surgery
- Stop smoking.
- Exercise.
- Eat healthy.
- Careful foot care like washing , moisturising, trimming nails, inspection of feet etc
- Promptly treat any fungal infections of the feet, such as athlete’s foot
- Avoid certain cold medications that contain pseudoephedrine.
