Peripheral Artery Disease and Intermittent Claudication

Description

Alternative Names

Complications

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) have the same risk of death from heart events or stroke as people with evident heart disease, even if the physician fails to find signs of heart disease. The risk increases with the severity of the condition. The presence of intermittent claudication increases mortality rates, and the worse the leg condition the poorer the overall health of the patient. Although signs of heart disease are detected in only 20% to 40% of patients with PAD after an initial diagnosis, studies suggest that when intense heart-diagnostics tests are performed, such as angiography or thallium stress tests, co-existing heart disease is detected in up to 90% of all PAD patients.

Pain and Complications in the Legs from Oxygen Deprivation

The pain from intermittent claudication in the legs itself clears up in 40% of patients (although this does not eliminate any accompanying heart risks). Damage in the leg from oxygen loss progresses in about 35% of patients. And, ischemic rest pain develops in about 10% of patients. This condition not only causes pain, even at night, but can also lead to ulcers, gangrene, and, in extreme cases, amputation. People with diabetes are at highest risk for these complications.

Acute Occlusion

In rare cases, blood clots can develop suddenly in a major artery in the leg--a condition called acute occlusion. Symptoms include numbness, pain, coolness, pale color, lack of pulse in the artery, and weakness. This is a very serious event, which can lead to amputation or even loss of life. Treatment options include clot-busting drugs delivered to the blockage or surgery to remove the clot.

Poor Physical and Mental Functioning

Peripheral artery disease can significantly impair daily physical functioning. Claudication pain severely limits physical activity. Even worse, intermittent claudication increases the risk for falling, usually because of unsteadiness, regardless of the severity of PAD. Intermittent claudication and PAD are also associated with mental decline, which mimics the addition of four or five years onto a person's age.