Diabetes and Peripheral Artery Disease

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Diabetes and Peripheral Artery Disease
8/13/08
American Heart Association

Get a Leg Up on Peripheral Artery Disease
If you have diabetes, you're at higher risk of heart attack, stroke and peripheral artery disease (PAD).

PAD is a condition similar to coronary artery disease (clogged arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle) and carotid artery disease (clogged arteries leading to the brain). But it affects arteries leading to areas outside the brain and heart, most often in the legs and feet. In PAD, fatty deposits build up in the inner linings of the artery walls of the legs. This can cause pain in the legs, especially when walking. In extremely severe cases, limb amputation may be needed. This same buildup in the arteries of the heart and brain significantly increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.

What increases my risk?

* Smoking
* High blood pressure
* High cholesterol
* Overweight/Obesity
* Physical inactivity
* Poor control of blood glucose, or blood sugars that are not within a normal range
* Family history of cardiovascular disease, stroke or PAD
* Previous history of coronary artery disease (heart attack, angina, angioplasty or bypass surgery) or stroke

What are the symptoms?
Symptoms include muscle cramps while walking, cold feet, decreased or absent pulses in the feet or legs, loss of fat under the skin of the calves, and hair loss on the lower legs. Typically, the pain caused by PAD goes away with rest and returns when you walk again. If you think you have PAD, consult your physician immediately.

What is the treatment for PAD?
Peripheral artery disease is treatable. The first step is usually to change your lifestyle such as by participating in a regular walking program, wearing special footwear and taking medications to help improve walking distance or to help prevent blood clots from forming.

A minority of patients may also need minimally invasive treatment or surgery, including angioplasty and stent placement or clot removal.

If a long part of an artery in your leg is completely blocked and you have severe symptoms, surgery may be necessary. Doctors can take a vein from another part of the body to bypass and reroute blood around the closed artery. Your healthcare professional will discuss options and help you choose the best procedure for you.

To reduce your risk of PAD:

* Keep your blood glucose levels as normal as possible. (If it's too high, this increases your risk of developing PAD).
* Keep your blood pressure under 130/80 mmHg or lower, using medication if it's prescribed by your doctor.
* Get your cholesterol levels down, with medication if necessary.
* Control your weight.
* Ask your doctor if you should take an aspirin a day.
* Get regular physical activity as indicated by your doctor.
* Eat a heart-healthy diet low in saturated fat, cholesterol and salt.
* If you smoke, quit. If you don't smoke, don't start.

Taking these steps will reduce your risk of PAD, help reduce your chances of a heart attack or stroke and enhance your overall health and quality of life.