By Dr. Bipeenchandra Bhamre
Have you heard about the peripheral vascular disease (PVD)? If not, then we explain it to you about it in the below article. Peripheral arteries means the arteries supplying blood to hands, legs, carotids supplying to the brain, etc.
Are you aware? Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) or peripheral arterial disease (PAD) can be termed as a slow and progressive circulation disorder causing narrowing, blockage, or spasms in a blood vessel. PVD may impact any blood vessel outside of the heart. Moreover, the legs and feet tend to get affected by it. There is a lack of awareness regarding this condition.
The common causes of PVD are atherosclerosis, the build-up of plaque inside the artery wall leading to blockage, and eventually reducing the blood supply to the affected organ. Just like when the blood supply to the heart is reduced we get Angina or heart attack similarly when blockages occur in carotid we get brain stroke further when the blockages occur in leg vessels we get blackening of the toes or gangrene of the legs
The risk factors: The causes of atherosclerosis are similar its a generalized process in which the entire blood vessel tree is affected like age of more than 50 years, overweight, raised cholesterol levels, stroke, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney disease. Smoking is a very important and direct cause of peripheral vascular disease.
The symptoms: If you notice pain in the legs and feet after walking for a few hundred meters, blackish discoloration of toes (gangrene), non-healing ulcerations, in males impotence, Numbness, hair loss or slower hair growth on the legs, weakness, pain in the toe. when the artery is very narrow or blocked, cramping or severe pain in a sitting position we call REST PAIN in, the feet or legs. particularly in diabetes patients. affected Leg feels unusually cold as compared to another unaffected leg
These are the complications that can occur due to PVD: If you leave this condition untreated then you may experience a stroke or gangrene of the leg. Plaque buildup in the arteries can also take a toll on the blood vessels in the heart and brain. Another problem that can be seen due to this condition is critical limb ischemia wherein a tissue dies because of severely reduced blood supply.
The diagnosis and treatment: At first your doctor will see you in the clinic and check for pulsation in leg vessels. if he feels that the pulse in your leg is feeble then he advises you on further tests. Ultrasound Doppler of the affected leg is the initial screening test that we do and later on, blood tests, computerized tomography angiography (CTA) Angiography, ultrasound or even ankle-brachial index (ABI) test can aid in the diagnosis of this condition.
The treatment: Your doctor will decide on a suitable treatment option for you. There are various types of options such as medical management, angioplasty, atherectomy, or peripheral artery bypass surgery that your doctor may advise you. Due to technological advancements, there are a lot of options available for the treatment of peripheral vascular disease with good long-term results.
Adhere to these tips to prevent this condition: Giving up on smoking is the best way to avoid peripheral vascular disease, have foods that are low in saturated fat, and control your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels with the help of medication prescribed by the doctor, exercise daily and maintain an optimum weight.
(The author is a Consultant Cardiac Surgeon at Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre in Mumbai. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of FinancialExpress.com.)
