Peripheral Vascular/Arterial Disease

Vascular

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), also called peripheral vascular disease (PVD), refers to the hardening of the arteries. This is known as atherosclerosis, when plaque builds in an artery, diminishing blood flow over time and leading to tissue or organ damage. Patients with PAD often experience leg pain that occurs with walking causing, numbness and tingling in the feet, trouble walking, foot pain that wakes you at night, and sores that won’t heal.

Risk factors for PAD include:

Smoking
High blood pressure and/or cholesterol
Family history
Age
Diabetes
Obesity
Lack of exercise

There are a number of treatment options available, many of which can be conducted in an outpatient setting. CMC’s team of highly-trained physicians, technicians, and support staff can assess the best treatment options for you.

Learn more

Symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatments and more (patient resources/videos from the Society for Vascular Surgery)

Know When to Contact Your Doctor About Leg Pain. It is natural to experience growing aches and pains with age - but if you have persistent pain in your legs for no obvious reason, it is important to take it more seriously and notify your physician.

diagnosis, treatment and technologies

lifestyle adjustments and medications

If you’re diagnosed with PAD, your provider will likely recommend a healthier lifestyle to help keep the disease from progressing. This may include losing weight, quitting smoking, and exercising. Medications are also available to help reduce symptoms and improve blood flow in the legs. A daily aspirin or other medication can also help prevent blood clots.

Interventional and surgical treatments

Several procedures can help improve blood flow in patients with PAD, including angioplasty and stenting. Angioplasty involves a balloon inserted into the artery through a small tube called a catheter which the doctor inflates to clear the blockage. A stent is small a mesh tube that stays in the artery and helps keep it open. Certain cases may be suitable for an atherectomy, which uses laser technology to dissolve the plaque that’s blocking the artery. In some situations, bypass surgery can replace the affected artery to restore blood flow.

Dr Patricia Furey

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)

PAD, or peripheral arterial disease, is a form of vascular disease which affects the arteries outside the heart. Its symptoms – if there are any at all – vary widely and are similar to the symptoms for many other conditions, making PAD a stealthy disease. Learn more from Patricia Furey, MD, FACS, vascular surgeon at the New England Heart & Vascular Institute at CMC as she responds to the following frequently asked questions.

Learn more in the FAQs below

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when someone develops PAD?

PAD is similar to coronary artery disease. Plaque builds up in an artery which diminishes blood flow over time. Eventually, that diminished blood flow can cause organ damage or failure. PAD can involve many organs throughout the body, depending on which artery or arteries are involved. The most common types of PAD include abdominal aortic aneurysm, carotid artery disease, and vascular disease in the lower extremities.

What makes PAD challenging to detect?

In many aspects, this can be a silent disease. Visual problems, high blood pressure, and trouble walking may be symptoms of PAD. Poor wound healing, toe discoloration, cool skin or sores on the legs can also be signs of PAD. Symptoms need to be considered in light of risk factors such as increasing age, smoking history and high cholesterol in order to determine whether testing is needed.

What are some other risk factors?

Smoking is a significant risk factor. Other important risk factors include:

Diabetes
Kidney failure
Coronary artery disease
High blood pressure
High cholesterol

There are screening tests for PAD which include a carotid artery screening to detect patients at risk for stroke, and an aneurysm screening is available for patients, if needed.

What can be done to treat PAD?

Interventions depend on symptoms. If someone's main complaint is leg pain, we can treat that with supervised exercise programs and medication to improve walking. Lifestyle, diet, and certain medications can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. More severe symptoms may require interventions including angioplasty, stenting and possibly surgery.

So what should someone do if they’re concerned about PAD?

First and foremost, a patient should talk with their primary care provider, especially if they think they might be at risk for PAD. At CMC's New England Heart & Vascular Institute, we want our patients to understand that we are here to be their resource and provide information. Our expertise lies in our ability to not only treat their condition but also answer all of their questions.

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Vein & Vascular Specialists

160 South River RoadSuite 100Bedford NH 03110

603.665.5150