What is Peripheral Arterial Disease?

[Edit]

Dr. Sattesh Babu of Vascular Associates of Westchester discusses Peripheral Arterial Disease, who is at risk, why it is important to be screened and current treatments. Pad is essentially a blockage of the arteries in the lower extremities. That is what we mean by peripheral arteries -- leg arteries blocked by hardening of the arteries, buildup of cholesterol, plaque and calcium. This in part is a process of aging, but certainly also brought on by smoking. Diabetes is another risk factor, as is hypertension.

WHAT IS PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE? Pad or peripheral arterial disease is essentially a blockage of the arteries in the lower extremities. That is what we mean by peripheral arteries -- leg arteries blocked by hardening of the arteries, buildup of cholesterol, plaque and calcium. This in part is a process of aging, but certainly also brought on by smoking.

 Diabetes is another risk factor, as is hypertension. There are other degenerative factors that we cannot explain completely because there are people who don't smoke, who don't have diabetes, who get blockages in their arteries. Problem is that a lot of these patients with symptoms are mistaken for having arthritis. Patients will say that every time I try to walk I have pain in my legs. These are often elderly patients and so these symptoms are mistaken for arthritis and the health practioner may ask them to take aspirin.

It is very important to ask for the typical symptom of the patient. The typical symptoms of blockage of the arteries in the legs are that every time the patient walks he has to stop after a certain distance. Let's say he walks one block. He will say that a year ago I use to walk two blocks. Three blocks. Now, in the past six months I can only walk one block because my legs cramp up. This is very classic for atherosclerosis or peripheral artery disease.

And it is always constant because the blood doesn't come and go away the next day. So the complaint is constant, very consistent. Every time I walk I must stop and when I feel better I go. This is called claudication which means in Latin limp. So the patient has to limp to start walking. So that anyone who has this symptom shouldn't be brushed off that he is old and simply has arthritis. One should examine to see if he has arterial disease because if he does have arterial disease we can follow him.

Risk factor modification is very important. For a lot of these patients, because every time they walk, they have pain, they become couch potatoes. They don't exercise anymore. They don't walk anymore. They just sit thinking that they are .going to harm their legs. It is just the other way. We would like them to exercise as much as possible. Just by walking a lot of these patients can improve their symptoms. But of course if it starts becoming worse we have methods to treat this.

Now a days we can do balloon angioplasty. If an artery is narrow we can pass a wire through the artery, followed by a balloon and then open it up. Then we put in a stent -- just like we can put a stent in the heart. If it is seriously blocked we can do a bypass from the healthy areas above the block to a healthy area beneath the block. This is how we can save the limbs. Because if there is not enough circulation, even a trivial trauma -- even cutting a nail -- if you injure it, it may not heal.

And peripheral arterial disease and a diabetes is a bad combination. A wound may progress into gangrene, which means death of the tissue. A patient can lose the limb and end up with amputation. So this is an area where it is very important to pick up the presence of arterial disease before the catastrophe happens.


Disclaimer

Featured Doctors

Bariatric Surgeon Bronx, New York City

 Columbia University Medical Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery
Columbia University Medical Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery

Center for Metabolic & Weight Loss Surgery
Herbert Irving Pavilion,161 Fort Washington Ave, 6th Fl., Room 620
New York City, NY 10032

Call: 888-838-9148

Neck Pain Relief White Plains

Dr. Jonathan Donath
Jonathan Donath

Westchester Spinal Decompression Center
1241 Mamaroneck Ave
White Plains, NY 10605

Call: 914-908-5562

Outpatient Rehabilitation Services Bronxville, Westchester County, New York

 Outpatient Services | Rehabilitation & Occupational Therapy
Outpatient Services | Rehabilitation & Occupational Therapy

Lawrence Hospital Center | Outpatient Services
55 Palmer Avenue
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: (888) 245-5611

Medical Imaging/Medical Testing Westchester, New York

 Outpatient Services | Laboratory & Pathology Services
Outpatient Services | Laboratory & Pathology Services

55 Palmer Ave, 1st Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: (888) 281-4612

Treatment for Liver Diseases and Conditions Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Treatment for Liver Diseases and Conditions Westchester, New York

 Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery
Center for Advanced Surgery | Colorectal, GI and Endocrine Surgery

Center for Advanced Surgery
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: 888-468-9351

Varicose Veins Goshen, Orange County, New York

Dr. Arlen G. Fleisher, MD, FACS
Arlen G. Fleisher, MD, FACS

Premier Vein Centers of Westchester
5 Coates Drive
Goshen, NY 10924

Call: 888-359-9462

Arthritis Treatment - Orthopedic Surgeon Westchester, New York

  Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

Lawrence Hospital Center | Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: (888) 729-2857

Low Back Pain Bergen County, NJ

Dr. Peter Ferraro, D.C.
Peter Ferraro, D.C.

Chiropractic Physician
224 Midland Ave
Saddle Brook, NJ 07663

Call: 877-685-2624

Spinal Decompression LA, CA

Dr. Bruce Shannahoff, D.C.
Bruce Shannahoff, D.C.

Valley Spinal Decompression Center
5363 Balboa Blvd. Suite 430
Encino, CA 91316

Call: (888) 870-2099

CFS Treatment Las Vegas

Dr. Daniel Royal
Daniel Royal

Royal Medical Clinic
9065 S. Pecos Rd., Ste. 250
Henderson, NV 89074

Call: 888-664-7161

Arthritis Treatment - Orthopedic Surgeon Westchester, New York

  Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

Lawrence Hospital Center | Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: (888) 729-2857

Psychiatry

Dr. Joseph H. Feinberg
Joseph H. Feinberg

Empowered Doctor Medical Board
523 East 72nd Street
New York, NY 10021

Call: (212) 606-1568

Screening for Breast Cancer MRI/ CT Scan Mamaroneck

 Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging | Women's Imaging Center
Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging | Women's Imaging Center

Lawrence Hospital Center | Outpatient Services
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: (888) 544-1169

Facet Joint Injections Watchung, Union Co., NJ

Dr. Ronald Spiaggia
Ronald Spiaggia

Performance Rehabilitation & Sports Injury Center
459 Watchung Avenue
Watchung, NJ 07069

Call: 888-897-4870

Low Back Pain Bergen County, NJ

Dr. Peter Ferraro, D.C.
Peter Ferraro, D.C.

Chiropractic Physician
224 Midland Ave
Saddle Brook, NJ 07663

Call: 877-685-2624

Screening for Breast Cancer MRI/ CT Scan Mamaroneck

 Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging | Women's Imaging Center
Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging | Women's Imaging Center

Lawrence Hospital Center | Outpatient Services
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: (888) 544-1169

Screening for Breast Cancer MRI/ CT Scan Mamaroneck

 Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging | Women's Imaging Center
Radiology & Diagnostic Imaging | Women's Imaging Center

Lawrence Hospital Center | Outpatient Services
55 Palmer Avenue, First Floor
Bronxville, NY 10708

Call: (888) 544-1169

Neck Pain New Jersey

Dr. Peter Ferraro, D.C.
Peter Ferraro, D.C.

Ferraro Spine & Rehabilitation
224 Midland Ave.
Saddle Brook, New Jersey 07663

Call: 888-895-3840

Spinal Stenosis Dix Hills, New York

Dr. Stephen Lembo, DC
Stephen Lembo, DC

Northeast Spine & Rehab
363 Route 111, St 107
Smithtown, New York 11784

Call:

Spinal Decompression Therapy Manhattan, NYC

Dr. Steven S. Moalemi, M.D.
Steven S. Moalemi, M.D.

Empire Physical Medicine & Pain Management
551 5th Avenue Ste. 525
Manhattan, NY 10176

Call: (888) 898-7795

Varicose Vein Treatments Westchester, New York

Dr. Arlen Fleisher
Arlen Fleisher

Premier Vein Centers of Westchester
280 N. Central Ave, ste 70
Hartsdale, NY 10530

Call: 888-265-9597

Back Pain Brooklyn, NY

Dr. Melinda Keller, D.C.
Melinda Keller, D.C.

Keller Chiropractic
729 Wythe Ave.
Williamsburg, NY 11211

Call: 888-258-6297

Primary Care Doctors South Florida

 Unimed Serving South Florida
Unimed Serving South Florida

Unimed Health Systems
3471 N. Federal Hwy. 202
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33306

Call: 877-816-3013