Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) / Peripheral artery disease (PAD):
What is Peripheral Vascular Disease?rnPeripheral Vascular Disease is a vascular condition that limits blood flow to parts of the body other than heart or brain due to narrowing of peripheral arteries, particularly in legs and pelvis arearnPAD raises the risk of heart attack, stroke, and even deathrnWhat are the parts or organs affected due to Peripheral Vascular Disease?rnTo a minor extent, the arteries that carry blood from your heart to your head, arms, kidneys, and stomach also suffer Peripheral Vascular Disease leading to impaired function to organ damagernWhat are the causes of Peripheral Vascular Disease?
• Atherosclerosis – due to errors in metabolism, inflammation & intestinal microbiotarn• Diet rich in saturated or trans fatrn• Blood clots or clotting disordersrn• Inflammation of the arteries - Arteritisrn• Bacterial Infections - Treponema pallidum & SalmonellarnWhat are the symptoms of Peripheral Vascular Disease?
• Painful cramping in one or both the hips, thighs or calf musclesrn• Pain during exercise, walking or climbing stairs – Claudicationrn• Constant leg pain even without any activityrn• Numbness or weakness in the legsrn• Shiny skin on legsrn• No pulse or a weak pulse in legs or feetrn• Slow healing of foot and toe woundsrn• Decrease in temperature of the affected part like legrn• Poor nail growth on the toesrn• Change in the colour of legs (pale or bluish)
• Hair loss or poor growth on the legsrn• Erectile dysfunction, especially in men with diabetesrnWho gets affected typically with Peripheral Vascular Disease?
• Likely men over 60 years of agern• Individuals with Diabetesrn• Smokers and AlcoholicsrnWhat are the risk factors of PVD?
• Older Age / Agingrn• Smokingrn• Diabetesrn• Overweight or obesityrn• High cholesterolrn• High blood pressurern• Physical inactivityrn• Stroke
• Metabolic Syndromern• Coronary Heart DiseasernHow is peripheral vascular disease diagnosed?
• Medical Historyrn• Physical Examinationrn• Pulse Test - ABIrn• Stress Test – Treadmill Testrn• Imaging Investigations – MRA, CTA, Doppler Ultrasound, Catheter Angiography & Arteriogramrn• Blood TestrnHow is peripheral vascular disease managed and mitigated?
• Lifestyle Changes – Regular exercise, quitting smoking & alcohol,
• Dietary modifications – eating healthy diet with low saturated fatrn• Avoiding certain cold meds - Pseudoephedrine aggravates PAD symptoms
• Use of prescribed medications - Antiplatelet agents, Statins, Anticoagulants, Anti-diabetic, Antihypertensive, Vasodilators (Naftidrofuryl) rnHow is peripheral vascular disease treated?
• Medications - Antiplatelet agents, Statins, Anticoagulants, Anti-diabetic, Antihypertensive, Vasodilators (Naftidrofuryl)
• Thrombolytic Therapyrn• Minimally Invasive Surgeries – Angioplasty, Stenting, Atherectomy, Clot retrieval
• Invasive Surgery - Bypass Surgery using biological or synthetic vesselrnWhat are the self-help tips or dos and don’ts for managing peripheral vascular disease?
• Ask doctor for recommendations on - food, beverages, activities, exercises, wound & self –carern• Take medicines just as recommended and prescribedrn• Keep your blood sugar levels under controlrn• Put efforts to maintain healthy weightrn• Try avoiding or quitting smoking and drinking alcoholrn• Walk as much as possible and take breaks when you feel pain or tiredrn• Choose the exercises you like and comfortable with and practice them for at least for 30 minutes in a day
• Have heart friendly diet such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains and avoid foods rich in sugar, salt and saturated or trans fatsrn• Wear proper footwear to prevent injury or ulcerrn• Check your feet for wounds and consult doctor if they aren’t healing quicklyrn• Wash but not soak your feet with warm water and dry them gentlyrn• Wiggle your feet and toes while sitting to increase blood flowrn• Stay indoors and keep yourself warm while idle or during workoutsrn• When outdoors, use thick socks during winter
• Do not use compression stockings, they might cause more harmrn• Use prescribed medicines for cold as some may worsen the conditionrnWhat are the synonyms or other names for PAD?
• Atherosclerotic peripheral arterial diseasern• Peripheral vascular disease (PVD)
• Peripheral artery occlusive diseasern• peripheral obliterative arteriopathyrn• Vascular diseasern• Hardening of the arteriesrn• Claudicationrn• Poor circulationrn• Leg cramps from poor circulationrnIs there a rehabilitation program available for managing peripheral vascular disease treated?
• For patients with painful legs during activity - claudication, an upper-body ergometry, cycling, and pain-free or low-intensity walking is recommended as part of rehabilitationrn• For patients without claudication, a supervised exercise program with behavioural therapy
• PAD specific rehabilitation helps in improving functional movements and quality of life while reducing most of the painful and chronic symptoms
As one of the
best heart hospitals in Hyderabad,
Virinchi Hospitals have been successfully treating:
Coronary Artery DiseasernHeart FailurernCardiac ArrhythmiarnOther Heart Problems
Best of our heart specialists, nurses and support staff have been delivering remarkable care and services towards most complex and high risk cardiovascular conditions that are typically risky and challenging.