It is estimated that more than eight million Americans have a common medical condition called Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD). PAD can be disabling for some people, while others have no symptoms at all. Even routine daily tasks, like climbing stairs and walking can be much more difficult or impossible with PAD.

What Is Peripheral Arterial Disease?
PAD is the hardening or narrowing of arteries, and is the most common type of Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD). It is typically considered a circulatory problem that restricts blood flow to the extremities, most often affecting the legs and pelvic region which can lead to leg pain or sores on the extremities.

With PAD, there can be signs of atherosclerosis, in which there are fatty deposits left behind in the arteries. PAD "can affect how much blood flow and nutrients get delivered to the legs, particularly the muscles of the legs, which limits walking," says Will Jordan, M.D. , chief of UAB's Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy.

What Are The Symptoms of Peripheral Arterial Disease?
For many people suffering from PAD, simply walking can cause pain. The ache in the legs can prevent you from doing your job or enjoying life. A patient's chances of developing PAD increase with age and other risk factors that include smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes. Not all patients experience symptoms. Nearly half of all patients with PAD have few or no symptoms. Tell your doctor if you have any of these symptoms:

• Cramping in the thighs, hips, calves and legs
• Wounds that don't heal or heal very slowly
• Numbness or weakness in legs
• Changing of leg color
• Pain while walking or climbing stairs that goes away after rest (intermittent claudication)

"Peripheral Artery Disease can create pain in a patient's legs when they walk, and sometimes can cause severe circulatory problems that can develop ulcerations or even poor healing wounds," Dr. Jordan says. If patients leave PAD untreated, symptoms can worsen and lead to gangrene and possibly loss of limbs.

How is Peripheral Arterial Disease Diagnosed and Treated?
There are several tests that are used to determine if a patient has PAD. These include:

• A physical exam done by your doctor may include a treadmill test to see how far you can walk without pain
• An ankle-brachial index (ABI) test that measures pressure to see how well your blood flows
• An ultrasound can be used to determine if you have Peripheral Arterial Disease

PAD is treatable, although more severe degrees of the disease are treated more aggressively. Dr. Jordan recommends taking medical action first and then encourages pursuing an active lifestyle. He says, "A healthy lifestyle, being active, walking, eating healthy foods - all of these will help diminish problems of Peripheral Arterial Disease."

Some patients may require a more aggressive procedure to treat PAD, including what Dr. Jordan describes as a "basic concept of fixing pipes." Two ways to clean "the pipes" include surgical bypass and cleaning out the artery to open up a passageway.

Successful Treatment at UAB
After surgery, most patients return to a normal lifestyle without pain. Patients can decrease their chances for developing PAD by quitting smoking, controlling diabetes and lowering cholesterol. If you experience any symptoms or have a family history of PAD, talk to your doctor.