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Peripheral Arterial Disease
November 2, 2009 |
For some people, it can be the source of aches and pains: climbing stairs, exercising,
even just going for a walk. That pain that you are felling on the outside could
be coming
from something inside.
“Peripheral artery disease is the hardening of the arteries,” says General and Vascular
Surgeon, Dr. John Moss with Lee Memorial Health System. The disease directly attacks
the blood vessels outside the heart and brain by narrowing those vessels that carry
blood to the legs, arms, stomach, and sometimes the kidneys.
“Very similar to the hardening of the arteries in a person’s heart. It causes heart
attacks,” adds Dr. Moss.
Eight million Americans currently have this disease. The most common symptoms are
pain or fatigue in the leg or hip muscles.
Sometimes people mistake the symptoms for something else. “It could be something
as simple as leg cramps, however, if it’s something that’s persistent and you have
the symptoms of a pain with walking, then that’s something that should be evaluated
for possible peripheral arterial disease,” explains Dr. Moss.
Your lifestyle could also be a factor. “ High cholesterol. High fat. If their diabetes
is out of control, if their blood pressure is out of control, all of those can contribute
to peripheral arterial disease,” he adds.
If left untreated, the disease can lead to gangrene, even amputations.
Your doctor can easily
check for the disease through a Doppler or ultrasound.
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