How to Check for 8 Signs of Peripheral Artery Disease in a Loved One
Author: StrideCare Internal Team
Vascular disease affects blood vessels such as arteries or veins that supply and drain blood to and from body parts respectively. These pipe-like vessels can become prone to disease due to a variety of factors. Although the signs and symptoms of venous and arterial disease are completely discrete, it is important that you spot them on time. Early detection and treatment can even save the life of a loved one. This is especially true for peripheral artery disease.
Do They Experience any of These Symptoms?
Symptoms of peripheral artery disease (PAD), also known as peripheral vascular disease (PVD), are from reduced blood flow through the narrowed arteries clogged by fatty plaques. These symptoms include:
- Cramping or burning pain in the calf, thigh, or even hip muscles
If a loved one complains of experiencing cramping leg pain while walking, climbing stairs, or doing any other type of exercise, he/she may be suffering from peripheral artery disease. Resting or sitting down for a few minutes will help relieve the pain. This typical feature of PAD—known as “intermittent claudication” in the medical world—is experienced more so by patients above 65 years old. This symptom recurs when the affected person has walked for the same distance that triggered the pain initially.
- Legs feel heavy, numb, weak and/or cold
- Loss of leg hair
- Leg skin changes
Skin color on the patient’s legs may turn pale or bluish due to poor blood flow. The skin then becomes shiny. In later stages, it dries up, dies, and turns black due to complete cut-off of blood supply—a condition referred to as gangrene.
- Toenails grow poorly
- Wounds, cuts, or sores on legs and feet are slow to heal or do not heal at all
Because of inadequate blood flow, people with peripheral artery disease are prone to foot damage. The risk of foot problems is even greater if your loved one is a diabetic and has PAD at the same time.
- Calf muscle area becomes smaller
Reduced blood supply to the calf muscles can cause them to shrink over time. A study on people with peripheral artery disease versus those without PAD showed significant shrinkage of the affected calf muscles in the former group.
- Poor functional performance
Even if the above-listed telltale symptoms of peripheral artery disease are absent, the functional performance of your loved one is likely to be compromised. Moreover, the poorer the activity level, the greater is the loss of mobility and death in late stages.
Ways to Help Your Loved One with Peripheral Artery Disease
What can you do about the signs and symptoms of peripheral artery disease in your loved one? While consulting a doctor is of utmost importance, there are a few measures that you can take to minimize impending complications. Some of these include:
- Advise to quit smoking
Smoking worsens PAD. Advise your loved one to quit smoking and seek out help from a smoking cessation program.
- Exercise rehabilitation programs
Supervised exercise therapy shows a potential to benefit people with peripheral artery disease by maintaining or improving walking distance, lessening physical disability, and lowering the risk of heart disease.
- Dietary precautions
As we know that buildup of fat in arteries is a key trigger of peripheral artery disease integrating, a heart-healthy diet makes sense. Apart from that, taking foods rich in folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin D can also slow the progression of PAD.
- Ensure adherence to medications
If your family members take medications to control blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar, double check the compliance to their prescription. PAD tends to aggravate if these factors aren’t controlled optimally.
- Careful foot care
Because foot problems are common in peripheral artery disease, taking care of feet is a vital component of treatment. A few strategies to implement are as follows:
- Wash your loved one’s feet every day with lukewarm water and a gentle soap.
- Dry the feet thoroughly, also making sure to dry the skin between the toes.
- Moisturize the feet using a non-alcohol cream or lotion but avoid the area between the toes.
- Trim and file toenails. If the nails are hard to cut, take your loved one to a doctor who can trim them without incurring any complication.
- Check their feet daily.
- Have them wear shoes and socks at all times.
Prevent Serious Arterial Complications with StrideCare
Peripheral artery disease does not cure itself, and there’s no way to prevent it completely. But it’s important to recognize the signs in a loved one early on.
Have questions about peripheral artery disease, varicose vein treatment, chronic venous insufficiency, or diabetes vascular disease? Does your loved one feel leg pain or cramping, burning/itching legs, or is experiencing leg ulcers? If you’re paying close attention and still aren’t sure if your loved one is experiencing PAD, give us a call. Our Katy, Texas location is uniquely qualified to focus on arterial issues.
StrideCare’s vascular physicians are board certified diagnostic radiologists with additional fellowship training in vascular and interventional radiology. Our team will recommend an individualized plan to get the best results for your loved one. Request an appointment for an arterial disease evaluation to discuss options.
Prior to starting any new treatment or questions regarding a medical condition, always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
StrideCare serves the South Texas area including Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Round Rock, Bastrop, Brushy Creek, Cedar Park, Converse, Georgetown, Hutto, Kyle, Leander, Marble Falls, New Braunfels, Pasadena, Pearland, Pflugerville, San Marcos, Schertz, Houston, Sugar Land, Katy, Webster, Bay City, Clear Lake, Lake Jackson, The Woodlands, Universal City, Spring, Kingwood, Stafford, Conroe, Texas City, Cypress, League City, Bellaire, and more.
