Peripheral artery disease (EAP) is a disease characterized by a decrease in blood flow in the arteries, due to the narrowing or occlusion of these vessels, which mainly affects the legs and feet, and that causes signs and symptoms such as pain, cramps, difficulty walking, pale feet, formation of ulcers and even risk of necrosis of the affected limb.
Also known as occlusive peripheral artery disease (MAP), this disease is mainly caused by the buildup of fat plaques in blood vessels, called atherosclerosis. The people most at risk of developing this disease are smokers, people with diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood. pressure, for example. To better understand what atherosclerosis is and how to treat it.
- To treat peripheral artery disease.
- Your doctor will recommend therapies to reduce or prevent aggravation of arterial obstruction.
- Such as SAA.
- Clopidogrel.
- Or cilostazole.
- For example.
- As well as medications to control high blood pressure.
- Cholesterol.
- And diabetes.
- Which is also very important to adopt healthy lifestyles.
- Surgical treatment is indicated for people with severe symptoms.
- Who have not improved with medication.
- Or who have a severe lack of circulation in the limbs.
People with peripheral artery disease do not always have symptoms and, in many cases, the disease can progress silently and only occur when it gets worse; However, the most common signs and symptoms are:
Symptoms, especially pain, can get worse during sleep at night or when the limbs are lifted, as this further decreases blood flow to the legs and feet.
Atherosclerosis can affect blood vessels throughout the body, so people with peripheral artery disease also have an increased risk of developing other cardiovascular diseases, such as angina, heart attack, stroke or thrombosis, for example. Learn what cardiovascular disease is and its main causes.
The primary means of identifying peripheral artery disease is to perform a clinical evaluation by the doctor, who will observe the symptoms and physical examination of the affected limb.
In addition, your doctor may order certain tests, such as measuring pressure in your limbs, doppler ultrasound, or angiography to help confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment for peripheral artery disease is indicated by your doctor, especially your angiologist, who may indicate medications such as:
In addition, it is very important to adopt lifestyle improvements and control the risk factors of this disease, such as quitting smoking, losing weight, doing regular physical activities (at least 30 minutes a day), adopting a healthy and balanced diet, and doing the right treatment to control diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Thus, it is possible to reduce the worsening of atherosclerosis and the effects of the accumulation of fat plaques in the blood vessels, thus avoiding the aggravation of arterial diseases and the appearance of other cardiovascular diseases, such as angina, infarction and stroke for example. .
Surgery may be indicated by the angiologist in cases where there has been no improvement in symptoms as a clinical treatment or when blood flow obstruction is severe.
The main cause of peripheral artery disease is atherosclerosis, in which the accumulation of fat in the walls of the arteries causes them to harden, narrow and decrease blood flow. Risk factors for atherosclerosis include:
However, other causes of peripheral artery disease may include thrombosis, embolism, vascularitis, fibromuscular dysplasia, compression, cystic weed disease, or limb trauma, for example.