Am I at Risk for Peripheral Artery Disease?

Cardiovascular disease is a prevalent but dangerous group of problems that affect the heart and vessels. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a condition that affects the major vessels in the arms and legs.

The risk factors for PAD vary, and knowing your risk is essential in preventing serious complications. At the Heart Clinic of Hammond, Dr. Ghiath Mikdadi and Dr. Farid Zayed provide lower extremity ultrasounds to determine the extent of PAD.

They also offer preventive tips and treatments to improve heart health and lower the risk of heart disease.

What is peripheral artery disease?

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects the blood vessels in the legs or arms that return blood to the heart. The primary cause of PAD is the accumulation of plaque in the arteries, which affects blood flow.

Plaque blocks the arteries and results from a condition called atherosclerosis. It often affects the legs more than the arms, but it can happen to any artery in the body.

The risk of PAD is decreased circulation, which negatively impacts the tissues in the legs or arms. It also increases the chances of a heart attack or stroke from pieces of plaque breaking off.

Uncontrollable risk factors for PAD

It's important to know if you're at risk for PAD to stay ahead of the disease. Unfortunately, there are some risk factors you can't control.

As you age, the risk for PAD increases, especially over 65 – but you could be at risk even younger with other health problems. For instance, people under 50 with diabetes and other risk factors are more likely to develop PAD.

Those between 50 and 64 with more than one risk factor for atherosclerosis are also more likely to develop the condition. Risk factors include smoking and developing diabetes.

Other uncontrollable risk factors for PAD include a family history of the disease or a significant history of stroke and cardiovascular disease.

Controllable risk factors for PAD

Although you can't change some risk factors, you can control others. If you're at risk of PAD from uncontrollable risk factors, you need to understand the changeable ones to decrease the risk of complications.

The following are risk factors for PAD that you can change through lifestyle modifications:

• Smoking
• Diabetes
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Physical activity

Quitting smoking, controlling blood sugar with diabetes, and managing blood pressure and cholesterol all decrease the risk for PAD. Increasing physical activity also improves blood flow and reduces the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Reducing your risk of PAD

You should take the proper steps to improve your health when you're at risk for PAD from modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. You can't change genetics; however, you can improve your lifestyle and diet.

Eating a healthy diet low in cholesterol and unsaturated fats improves your health and reduces the risk of complications from PAD. You should get adequate exercise, but slowly increase it to avoid injuries.

Managing chronic health problems is also a crucial component of reducing the risk of PAD. We provide medications and other treatments that improve cardiovascular health to prevent complications and worsening of PAD symptoms.

Call the Heart Clinic of Hammond team today in Hammond or Amite, Louisiana, to schedule a lower extremity ultrasound consultation, or request a consultation on our website.