What You Should Know About Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)

Peripheral Artery Disease FAQ and Risk Factors

What do I need to know about PAD?

• PAD affects one in 20 people older than 50.
• Only one in 10 PAD sufferers experiences leg pain. Calf pain is most common, but the feeling can range from mild discomfort to debilitating pain.
• PAD can go undetected in up to 75 percent of patients.
• People with PAD are two to three times more likely to die of heart attack and stroke because of other blockages in the arteries to the heart and brain.
• Left untreated, PAD can lead to an inability to walk, severe pain, and even amputation.

In its early stages, PAD may cause no symptoms because the blockages are not severe enough to reduce blood flow. Because most people with early PAD do not have symptoms, or perhaps attribute symptoms to aging or other causes, they may not be diagnosed until their symptoms are limiting.

What are the risk factors for PAD?
Race. African-Americans are more than twice as likely to have PAD as Caucasians.

Age. Men older than 55 and women older than 65

Smoking. Those who smoke or have a history of smoking have up to four times greater risk of PAD. Quit smoking today.

Diabetes. One in three people with diabetes who are older than 50 is likely to have PAD.

High blood pressure. Hypertension raises the risk of developing arterial plaque. Reduce your high blood pressure.

High cholesterol and high triglycerides. Excess cholesterol and fat in your blood promote formation of plaque in the arteries. Lower your cholesterol.

Vascular disease, heart attack, or stroke. If you have heart disease, by definition you already have atherosclerosis and you have a one-in-three chance of also having PAD. Reduce your risk for heart disease.