Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral artery disease (PAD for short) is a condition caused by a narrowing or blockage within the body’s large arteries within the legs. This slows the flow of oxygenated blood to the legs, causing pain when walking (claudication), numbness, cramping, and other symptoms. Up to 20% of Americans over 65 will develop this condition.

The most direct cause of PAD is a condition called atherosclerosis. Also known as “hardening of the arteries,” atherosclerosis occurs when there is a buildup of plaque or fatty deposits within the arteries of the legs and arms. This causes the arteries to narrow, making it more difficult for them to carry oxygenated blood throughout the body.

• Over age 50
• Male
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• High cholesterol
• Family history
• High blood pressure/hypertension
• Overweight

If not treated, PAD can lead to painful cramping in the legs, limited mobility, gangrene, infection, amputation, and even death.

• Pain, cramping, or fatigue in leg muscles while walking or exercising that goes away when resting. This is also known as claudication.
• Pain within the legs or feet, especially at night
• Wounds or sores that do not heal or heal too slowly
• Lower legs that feel cool to the touch
• Lack of hair growth on the lower legs or lack of toenail growth
• Numbness or loss of sensation within the legs

NOTE: Many patients with PAD do NOT experience these symptoms. That’s why it is especially important to know your individual risk for this disease.

Yes. Your healthcare provider can perform a test called the ankle brachial index, or ABI. This test measures the difference between the blood pressure in your arms and in your ankles and can help determine if further testing is necessary. If it is, one of several additional tests may be recommended, including ultrasound, CT angiography, and angiography, which can identify the location of the blockage within the blood vessels and help guide treatment decisions.

In many cases, surgery will not be required. There are several minimally invasive, outpatient procedures offered by the doctors at Memphis Vascular Center. They are performed by threading tiny catheters—guided by imaging—through the body’s vascular system to the site of the blockage. Once there, the blockage can be opened with balloon angioplasty or removed with atherectomy. In some cases, the artery may be kept open with a stent.

There may be. The Limb Salvage Program at Memphis Vascular Center is designed to help patients with severe critical limb ischemia avoid an amputation. While not always possible, we will work with you and your doctor to explore every option available to you.

If you haven’t been formally diagnosed, please call us. We can perform a simple, non-invasive test to help you determine if you have PAD and if it requires treatment. In many cases, PAD found early can be treated with medication and/or lifestyle modification.