Peripheral Artery Disease
Peripheral Artery Disease and Risks
The common cause of peripheral artery disease (PAD) is atherosclerosis. Less common causes of peripheral artery disease may be blood vessel inflammation, injury to your limbs, unusual anatomy of your ligaments or muscles, or radiation exposure (Mayo Clinic, 2016). The risk factors for PAD are the same as those for atherosclerotic disease; they are smoking, hypertension, diabetes, increased levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), decreased levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and autoimmunity. Other nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors, are elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), increased serum fibrinogen, infection, and periodontal disease (McCance & Huether, 2014). People have a higher risk of having PAD if they are elderly, of black decent, smoke or have diabetes. People who have PAD are at a higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Manifestations
According to …show more content…
Mayo Clinic 2016, signs and symptoms of PAD are painful cramping in your hip, thigh or calf muscles after certain activities, such as walking or climbing stairs, leg numbness or weakness, coldness in your lower leg or foot, especially when compared with the other side, sores on your toes, feet or legs that won't heal, a change in the color of your legs, hair loss or slower hair growth on your feet and legs, slower growth of your toenails, shiny skin on your legs, no pulse or a weak pulse in your legs or feet, and erectile dysfunction in men.
Diagnostic Testing and Treatment Options
Diagnostic testing includes, ankle -brachial index, Doppler ultrasound, angiography, catheter angiography, and blood test to measure cholesterol, triglycerides and check for diabetes (Mayo Clinic, 2016).
Physical examination is done to check for decreased or absent pulse, bruits sounds, and poor wound healing. Treatment includes life style changes, treating symptoms and trying to stop the disease from advancing. Reducing risk factor include smoking cessation, treatment of diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Medications to treat symptomatic PAD include vasodilators in combination with antiplatelet or antithrombotic medications (aspirin, cilostazol, ticlopidine, or clopidogrel), cholesterol-lowering medications, and exercise rehabilitation (McCance & Huether, 2014). If symptoms are acute or refractory, emergent percutaneous or surgical revascularization may be indicated (McCance & Huether, 2014). Newer treatment modalities that are being explored include autologous stem cell therapies, gene therapy, and angiogenesis (McCance & Huether,
2014).
The common cause of peripheral artery disease (PAD) is atherosclerosis. Less common causes of peripheral artery disease may be blood vessel inflammation, injury to your limbs, unusual anatomy of your ligaments or muscles, or radiation exposure (Mayo Clinic, 2016). The risk factors for PAD are the same as those for atherosclerotic disease; they are smoking, hypertension, diabetes, increased levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), decreased levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and autoimmunity. Other nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors, are elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), increased serum fibrinogen, infection, and periodontal disease (McCance & Huether, 2014). People have a higher risk of having PAD if they are elderly, of black decent, smoke or have diabetes. People who have PAD are at a higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Manifestations
According to …show more content…
Mayo Clinic 2016, signs and symptoms of PAD are painful cramping in your hip, thigh or calf muscles after certain activities, such as walking or climbing stairs, leg numbness or weakness, coldness in your lower leg or foot, especially when compared with the other side, sores on your toes, feet or legs that won't heal, a change in the color of your legs, hair loss or slower hair growth on your feet and legs, slower growth of your toenails, shiny skin on your legs, no pulse or a weak pulse in your legs or feet, and erectile dysfunction in men.
Diagnostic Testing and Treatment Options
Diagnostic testing includes, ankle -brachial index, Doppler ultrasound, angiography, catheter angiography, and blood test to measure cholesterol, triglycerides and check for diabetes (Mayo Clinic, 2016).
Physical examination is done to check for decreased or absent pulse, bruits sounds, and poor wound healing. Treatment includes life style changes, treating symptoms and trying to stop the disease from advancing. Reducing risk factor include smoking cessation, treatment of diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Medications to treat symptomatic PAD include vasodilators in combination with antiplatelet or antithrombotic medications (aspirin, cilostazol, ticlopidine, or clopidogrel), cholesterol-lowering medications, and exercise rehabilitation (McCance & Huether, 2014). If symptoms are acute or refractory, emergent percutaneous or surgical revascularization may be indicated (McCance & Huether, 2014). Newer treatment modalities that are being explored include autologous stem cell therapies, gene therapy, and angiogenesis (McCance & Huether,
2014).