What do you know about PAD?
During the year we pay special attention to different diseases. We try to bring information to the forefront about these illnesses. One of the conditions that we highlight his month is Peripheral Vascular Disease or PAD. This is a particularly insidious condition that robs many people of their freedom and their lives.
Did you know that it is estimated that a leg is amputated every 30 seconds worldwide due to diabetes? Did you know that 65,000 to 75,000 amputations are performed in the US each year? Did you know that African Americans are more likely to undergo amputations than Caucasians. Did you know that 8000,000 people live with PAD in the US today.
PAD happens when the arteries that carry blood to your extremities are blocked. Those life-giving arteries may become blocked by plaque or cholesterol and the blood is not able to make its way to the extremity. When this happens to the arms it may result in the loss of an arm or hand or finger. When this happens to the legs there maybe the loss of a leg or foot or toes.
We see this same mechanism in the brain where we may see a stroke or when the arteries of the heart are involved, we could see a heart attack.
There are certain medical conditions that seem to invite PAD to the table. We know that one in three people who are 50 years of age and older who has diabetes will also have PAD. We know that those that have heart disease, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, that are overweight or have chronic kidney disease all are at increased risk for PAD.
If you smoke or use tobacco products there is a four times greater risk that you will develop PAD. Those that have little to no physical activity are also at increased risk of PAD. One of the most important risk factors is if there is a family history of PAD you have an increased risk. As one ages especially after the age of 60 there is again an increased risk of PAD.
One of the most shocking facts is that there is an increased risk of PAD in the African American population. There is two times greater risk of PAD than in the Caucasian population.
So what are the signs and symptoms one should be looking for? Leg cramping is one of the symptoms. If you noticed that one time you could walk four blocks with no difficulty and now you have cramping in your legs with two blocks that is a symptom.
If you notice that at one time you had a lot of hair on your legs and now the amount of hair has decreased or is nonexistent, this is a problem.
If you notice that sores on your extremities are taking a longer time to heal, there may be a problem. If there are discolorations of the feet such as they are purple in color, there may be a problem. If there is just pain in those legs and feet while you are just resting or there is numbness, heaviness, or cold feet there maybe a problem. A fact that just blows things away is that 40% of people who have PAD will have no symptoms.
Because of this fact we all must be proactive in making sure PAD does not affect you. Make sure you have your healthcare provider to look at your feet and legs. They may want to do testing to make sure there is adequate blood supply to the area. They may do doppler or ultrasound studies, take the blood pressure in the legs as a way of accessing the arteries, do labs to check on the cholesterol and renal functions,
There are things you can do to fight PAD. One is to become and stay active. If you smoke or use any tobacco products, stop them. They are extremely damaging to your body. Eat a diet that is heart healthy. Eat more fruits and veggies, limit your fatty foods and salty foods. Take good care of your feet. Get care for those bunions, calluses and fungal infection promptly. Make sure your shoes fit well.
PAD is a disease we all must be aware of and fight. Now go out and get those feet checked.
