Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), also known as peripheral vascular disease, is a condition where the arteries in your circulatory system become narrowed or clogged. This narrowing can cause reduced blood flow to your extremities. It most commonly affects the legs, but can also affect the blood supply to your arms and kidneys.

What causes peripheral artery disease?
Peripheral arterial disease is usually a result of atherosclerosis, or a build up of fatty deposits in blood vessels. The blood vessels become less elastic and cannot expand to allow increased blood flow when needed such as during exercise. Calcium deposits also contribute to the narrowing and rigidity of the blood vessel.

What are the signs and symptoms?
The most common symptoms of peripheral arterial disease are pain or numbness in the affected extremity. This occurs when the muscles are not receiving enough blood supply or oxygen. Other symptoms might include:

• Coolness of the extremity
• Decreased pulses of the extremity
• Paleness of the extremity
• Loss of hair to the extremity

How is PAD diagnosed and treated?
If you suspect you have PAD or you have experienced some of the symptoms listed above, contact your physician. A diagnosis can be made by Doppler ultrasound, angiography, blood flow studies or Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Medical treatment for PAD can include the use of drugs to prevent blood from clotting. Anti-platelet drugs or anticoagulants are two types of drugs that can be used.

Interventional treatment for PAD can include balloon angioplasty.