Heart disease is expected to affect 61% of US adults by 2050, so it’s important to know when problems may be afoot.
Leg pain, cramps and lingering foot wounds are among the symptoms that may indicate peripheral artery disease, the narrowing or blockage of the vessels that supply blood to the legs.
“Lower extremity PAD, or PAD in the legs and feet, is a spectrum,” Dr. Young Erben, a vascular surgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, said. “It ranges from people who have leg pain when walking to more advanced cases, where the blood flow to the leg is so impaired that patients are in pain when they’re resting or are developing wounds in their toes and feet.”
Over 12 million Americans are believed to have PAD, which increases the likelihood of having cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular disease refers to several conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, heart arrhythmias, vascular disease, congenital heart defects, stroke and high blood pressure.
Experts say if cholesterol and fat are accumulating in the leg arteries, they are also likely amassing in other arteries, including those that supply the heart and brain.
Risk factors for PAD include tobacco use, a sedentary lifestyle, an age over 50, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and a family history of the condition.
Treatment depends on the severity of the case, with Erben warning that untreated PAD can cause open sores that do not heal, potentially leading to tissue death and in severe cases, requiring limb amputation.
Erben recommends seeing a doctor if you have recurring leg cramps known as charley horses, leg pain that begins with exercise, and a sore on your foot — even a small one — that does not heal.
“The mild symptoms are the ones that people tend to ignore,” Erben said. “Unfortunately, they often do not realize that they have a problem until it becomes a dire problem. The most important message that I can give to patients is that you may think it’s a little complaint, but please bring it up to your doctor. Because it may uncover something that you never thought of.”
PAD patients are often prescribed a walking program to increase blood flow to the legs.
The University of Michigan recommends walking three to five times a week, building up to at least 30 minutes a session while keeping an eye on leg pain, cramps or calf tightness.
“I have seen it with my patients over time: Over three to six months, if they’re very diligent about walking, the pain with walking will diminish, and people who are in the very early stages of PAD can almost go back to normal,” Erben said.
If walking alone doesn’t work, medication or surgery may be needed to improve blood flow.