When you have peripheral artery disease (PAD), you are at increased risk for stroke and heart attack. The Heart One Associates team in three convenient West Valley offices in Peoria, Buckeye, and Phoenix, Arizona, are specialists in comprehensive PAD prevention, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment. If you have peripheral artery disease, call or schedule an appointment online today.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a vascular condition where the vessels that transfer blood to the trunk and extremities are blocked or damaged. Peripheral arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to the tissues of the body.
You develop PAD when these vessels are injured or collect cholesterol and other fats, which harden over time and slowly impede circulation to other vessels and tissues. The vessels become stiff, and tissues fed by the blocked arteries don't get enough oxygen, which is essential for proper function and healing.
PAD is a form of peripheral vascular disease (PVD), which impacts the smallest vessels of the body, including the veins and lymphatic system. PAD is also associated with an increased risk for coronary artery disease (CAD), which is the leading risk factor for stroke and heart attack.
PAD can potentially develop in any artery, but you are most likely to experience symptoms associated with impeded blood flow in the extremities.
Symptoms include:
Complications of PAD include stroke, limb or tissue loss, gangrene, septicemia, or blood infections. If you are at high risk for PAD, it's vital you get regular monitoring and early diagnosis and treatment of your symptoms.
You may be at high risk for peripheral artery disease if you are a smoker, have poor nutrition, or are obese. You are also at higher risk if you have:
An essential part of quality preventive cardiology care includes identifying your risks and early symptoms of PAD.
The Heart One Associates provider develops a customized care plan. Depending on your symptoms, underlying causes, and other conditions, your plan may include diagnostic studies and treatments including:
The team commits to lowering your risks and preventing long-term complications of PAD.
For a consultation, call or schedule an appointment online with the PAD specialists at Heart One Associates today.
