News Taffy

Many people have probably never heard of peripheral vascular disease but unfortunately the blockage of any large arteries not in the heart or brain is quite common. Part of treating cardiovascular disease is treating disease which has spread to the arms and legs. My husband became interested in this branch of cardiology to help prevent limb amputations.

Peripheral vascular disease, or PVD (also called PAD), can lead to a lack of blood flow to the extremities which causes pain or weakness and often leads to amputation. The people most likely to have PVD are those over 65, diabetics and smokers. Symptoms vary depending on the location and extent of the blockages but patients may experience pain or cramping in the lower leg when walking. They may become more sedentary because their leg “gives out” when they walk very far. Anyone who has a sore or ulcer on their foot that won’t heal should be checked for PVD. Patients with blockages in the arms may be unable to raise their arms above their head to wash or comb their hair.

Those with PVD often have many other health problems such as being diabetic, having high blood pressure and heart disease. PVD advances much more rapidly in smokers, another reason to quit smoking. While as many as 1 in 20 Americans over 50 have PVD, it goes largely undiagnosed because patients may mistake the pain for arthritis and never mention it to their physician. There is a simple way to diagnose PVD; a physician will check your feet to look for skin color changes and sores. Then he or she will check the blood pressure in your arms and ankles.

Treatment varies depending on the severity of the symptoms. Mild cases can be treated with life style changes such as stopping smoking and eating a better diet. Walking has been shown to be particularly helpful for PVD patients. Your physician may also prescribe medications to control the disease. If there are already severe problems, your doctor can actually perform angioplasty on your arms or legs to open blockages, just like they do for blockages in heart arteries. My husband is performing more interventions below the knee than ever before to restore blood flow to the foot. He has seen patients arrive in a wheel chair and leave walking.

In the worst cases, amputation will be necessary. One in four diabetics will end up having a limb amputated. Even worse, those who get an amputation will often die within 1 to 2 years as this signals that the disease has spread throughout their whole body. The Save A Leg, Save A Life Foundation was established to educate the public in order to reduce lower limb amputations and to improve the quality of life of patients with wounds, complications of diabetes and PVD. If someone you love is experiencing any of these problems, discuss the possibility of PVD with a physician. You may end up saving a limb.