It’s a hard-to-pronounce condition, but it’s one to take seriously because it can lead to loss of limbs. If you have persistent pain, numbness, or cramping in your legs and arms, you should talk to a doctor about peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD occurs when arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the arms and legs become partially or completely blocked by substances commonly known as plaque.
Sampath Kumar, MD, is an interventional cardiologist, who provides care at OSF HealthCare in Alton. He repeats a refrain that’s common among all health care providers: Your best chance to avoid PAD is to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
According to Dr. Kumar, “We see this more in people who smoke. People who are not as active tend to present [with PAD] much later because they don’t have the symptoms that are typical. So, seeking early and regular care with a physician would be an important.”
Diabetes and high cholesterol are also significant risks. Eating healthy and avoiding food and drink with excess sugar is advised.
Treatment of PAD might start with an angiogram or a scan of the patient’s blood flow. From there, a doctor may recommend medication, lifestyle changes, or surgery in more serious cases. At OSF HealthCare in Alton, Dr. Kumar recently started using the state-of-the-art Diamondback system to help open up blocked arteries during those procedures. This has helped with reducing the number and extent of amputations, helping patients navigate their function with as little limb loss as possible, given the extent of their disease state.
“What we are trying to do is to provide a safe way to remove tissue and provide blood flow into the arteries, to allow for wound healing or to enable better function overall,” Dr. Kumar explained. “With removal of tissue, especially calcium in a controlled fashion, we end up with less complications, resulting in less need for stents in the arteries and less emergent complications that need to be managed.”
“This is something that doesn’t start in one’s 60s and 70s, but is something people need to start off with in their 20s, 30s and 40s,” Dr. Kumar said. “For patients with vascular disease, I would urge them to talk to their family and their children to ensure the lifestyle future generations lead would be healthier.”