Symptoms that are typically dismissed as signs of getting older, such as numbness and tingling in the lower legs and feet, may be warning signs of something much more serious, peripheral arterial disease.

Such as pain in the legs while walking that subsides at rest, numbness and tingling in the lower legs and feet, coldness in the lower legs and feet, and ulcers or sores on the legs or feet that don't heal, may be warning signs of something much more serious, peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

PAD is a common condition affecting 12-20 per cent of Americans age 65 and older and is a marker for heart attack and stroke. It develops mostly as a result of atherosclerosis, or "hardening of the arteries," which occurs when cholesterol and scar tissue build up, forming a substance called plaque that narrows and clogs the arteries and slows blood flow to the legs. Just like clogged arteries in the heart, clogged arteries in the legs mean you are at risk for a heart attack or stroke. "Early detection and management of peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, can prevent the progression of the disease which can lead to painful walking, gangrene, amputation, heart attack or stroke," states Harvey Wiener, DO, Legs For Life Chair.

Free testing will be available for PAD this September, offered by interventional radiologists participating in the Legs For Life program. During the screening, they will perform a simple and painless test, the ankle brachial index (ABI), which compares the blood pressure in the legs to the blood pressure in the arms to determine how well the blood is flowing and if further tests are needed. Legs For Life, commemorating its ten year anniversary, is the longest running and most successful program of its kind.

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More than 50 per cent of PAD patients are asymptomatic and cannot feel the classic warning sign of PAD - intermittent claudication, or leg pain that occurs when walking or exercising and disappears when the person stops the activity. Get tested if you have the following risk factors:

Why PAD is a red flag for heart attack and stroke

Often, the plaque blocks the smaller leg arteries first which is why PAD is considered a red flag for several life-threatening vascular diseases, such as heart attack and stroke. Because atherosclerosis is a systemic disease, people with PAD are likely to develop blocked arteries throughout the body, putting them at risk for heart attack and stroke. As vascular experts, interventional radiologists can intervene early, prevent vascular disease progression with medicine, diet and exercise, and provide non-surgical treatment if needed. Interventional radiologists use image guidance to guide a catheter in the artery to open it and improve blood flow.

Treatment for peripheral arterial disease

In many cases, PAD can be treated with lifestyle changes. Smoking cessation, a structured exercise program, and medication are often all that is needed to alleviate symptoms and prevent further progression of the disease. "With early detection, patients could be sent to an interventional radiologist sooner so we could intervene to slow progression of the disease, and offer much less invasive treatment options, saving patients from amputation," says Wiener. If further intervention is needed, interventional radiologists can perform non-surgical angioplasty to open the blocked artery in the leg and restore blood flow. Although most people associate angioplasty with coronary disease, angioplasty and the catheter-delivered stent were invented by interventional radiologists 31 years ago to treat PAD.

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Source: PRNewswire