In this video, Dr. Juan Carlos Correa, who is a Board-Certified Vascular Surgeon and the Managing Physician of Modern Vascular in Kansas City (Overland Park, KS) discusses the symptoms and treatment options of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD).
Dr. Juan Carlos Correa describes peripheral arterial disease in a way that is easy for anybody to understand. He compares it to the plumbing in a house. As the house gets older, the pipes can get clogged. Peripheral artery disease is similar, except the clog can occur in the arteries throughout the body.
Peripheral arterial disease is a disease that is caused by atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the build-up of plaque on the walls of the peripheral arteries. This causes the walls of the artery to harden the area where blood flows to become narrow.
The narrowing of the arteries causes a reduction in blood flow. That can lead to symptoms like pain or cramping while walking, wounds that don't heal, and discoloration of the legs or feet.
PAD can present with multiple symptoms. The most common symptom that patients may overlook is that they unable to walk as swiftly or as well as they had in the past. It can cause the legs to cramp, and the cramping can worsen as the patient walks farther distances. Another symptom that may present is a wound on the leg, foot, or toe that doesn't heal at a reasonable pace, or even at all.
The diagnosis is simple - outpatient evaluations are available at all Modern Vascular clinics. A nurse or physician performs a brief examination that often includes a simple, non-invasive, test called the ankle-brachial index (ABI). An ABI test is performed by comparing the pulse in the legs o or feet to the pulse in the arms. It can help determine how much blood is flowing to the legs.
Peripheral artery disease, if not treated promptly, can progress to limb amputations. That is why it is critical for PAD to be promptly identified based on risk factors.
All physicians at Modern Vascular are board-certified and specialize in the treatment of PAD in the legs, down to the toe.
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