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Home Tag: "peripheral vascular disease"

Tag: peripheral vascular disease

22Nov

Illustration of nervous system with affected hands and feet in peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral Artery Disease is a condition that occurs when the arteries outside the brain and heart have plaque buildup and become obstructed or narrowed. It happens in the lower extremities where there is blockage of the vessels from the heart to the legs. The primary cause of plaque is fatty build-up known as atherosclerosis. The condition can happen in any blood vessel but is usually in the legs.

Read More “Ultrasound for Peripheral Artery Disease Diagnosis”
Podiatrist examining a patient's foot for diabetic foot issues.
10Feb

Podiatrist examining a patient's foot for diabetic foot issues.

The importance of eating a healthy, balanced diet, monitoring blood glucose levels, staying active, and taking prescribed medications can never be emphasized enough if you are diabetic; another important thing to add is regular foot exams. Foot exams reduce the chances of developing complications as a result of conditions that were not attended to early. There are self-exams and annual professional evaluations. Diabetes presents a high risk of foot problems such as diabetic foot ulcers and peripheral vascular disease to patients. Diabetic foot care looks out for injuries, infections or bone abnormalities. The main cause of diabetic feet problem is nerve damage and poor blood flow or blood circulation.

Alarming symptoms which require attention include 

  • Burning sensation
  • Tingling
  • Pain
  • Difficulty while walking
  • Numbness
  • Swelling

Symptoms that call for the immediate attention of a podiatrist include

  • A cut or a blister that is taking longer to heal.
  • If an injury is warm to touch
  • If an injury has redness around it.
  • The presence of callus with dried blood inside.
  • And a smelly, black injury which most likely is gangrene; this is the death of body tissue and if left untreated could lead to foot amputation or death.

What to expect when a podiatrist examines you

  1. General assessment where the podiatrist asks questions about your health and any problems you have had with your feet. They also ask about your footwear to be sure your shoes do not easily cause blisters, calluses, and ulcers.
  2. Dermatological assessment where the podiatrist will look for skin problems and signs of fungal infection.
  3. Neurologic assessment that includes a series of tests which are
    1. Monofilament test which particularly tests foot sensitivity.
    2. Tuning fork and VPT (Visual Perception Tests) – to check the sensitivity of the foot and toes to vibrations.
    3. Pinprick test to determine if you can feel a pin, poke your foot.
    4. Ankle reflexes – a tap below the knee to check your reflexes.
  4. Musculoskeletal assessment to check for abnormalities in the structure and shape of your foot.
  5. Vascular assessment using the Doppler ultrasound to check how well the blood is flowing to your feet.

Treatment

The provider might recommend frequent exams to monitor the progress, but for bone deformities, surgery can be recommended while antibiotics are administered to treat foot infections.

No specific treatment is administered for nerve damage, but treatments are given, such as skin creams, medicine, and physical therapy, to improve the function of the feet and relieve pain. 

How to go about diabetic foot care?

Wear appropriate fitting shoes or ask the doctor for custom shoes.

Keep moist away from your skin by wearing socks.

Clean your feet daily and apply a fragrance-free moisturizer, avoid applying in between the toes.

Trim toenails regularly

Avoid walking barefoot

Conduct daily foot self-exams to monitor changes.

Seek professional foot evaluation at least annually.

Manage diabetes as recommended by the health professional.

Avoid abrasive foot products

Exercise daily to keep the blood flowing.

Do not smoke as this leads to foot complications due to poor blood circulation and nerve damage.

Diagram showing peripheral arterial disease and coronary artery disease effects.
16Dec

Peripheral artery disease which is also known as peripheral arterial disease related to circulatory issues. In this, narrow arteries reduce the amount of blood flow in the limbs. When the PAD develops, the legs do not get enough blood supply. It results in certain symptoms such as leg pain when walking for prolonged period and the like.

Diagram showing peripheral arterial disease and coronary artery disease effects.

The peripheral arterial disease is also linked with accumulation of fatty acids in arteries. In addition, the condition can reduce the blood flow to heart and brain along with legs. One of the ways to successfully treat PAD is to quit smoking and maintaining healthy diet.

What are the common symptoms of PAD?

People suffering from the problem may have mild to no symptoms at all. Some may also suffer from problems of leg pain due to walking. Some common symptoms are given below.

  • Leg weakness or numbness
  • Painful cramping in hips, thighs due to some activities or walking for long time
  • Change in color of legs
  • Sores on legs or feet that may not heal
  • Shiny skin on legs
  • Slower growth of toenails
  • Erectile dysfunction in men
  • Weak pulse problem in legs or feet
  • Slow growth or hair loss in feet or legs
  • Coldness in lower leg when compared with the other side

For peripheral artery disease treatment, it is better to diagnose the problem at its initial stage to prevent the situation from getting worst. Once the symptoms start to show, it is better to consult physician at the earliest for suitable diagnosis and treatment.

Prevention of peripheral vascular disease

To prevent the problems of peripheral vascular disease, it is necessary to maintain healthy lifestyle along with other factors that are mentioned below.

  • Smokers should quit smoking
  • Maintaining healthy weight
  • Eat food that contains low fat ingredients
  • Try to keep low cholesterol and blood pressure level if the patient have cholesterol and blood pressure issues
  • Diabetes patient should try to keep the sugar level in control
  • Exercising regularly is important by investing 30 minutes to 45 minutes daily for better results

Peripheral vascular disease is also related to peripheral artery disease that indicates narrowing down of the arteries outside brain and heart. The disease can also be addressed to poor blood circulation issue. Therefore patients should consult doctors soon after they start to notice symptoms in the early stage.

Wrapping it up

Therefore, it is seen that PAD is caused due to atherosclerosis. It is a gradual process in which the fatty acid builds up in the arteries. Among the less common factors, blood clots in the arteries are also seen among some patients. For the disease, ultrasound scan, blood tests, angiography, computed tomographic angiography, ankle-brachial index are some common ways of treatments. Even Doppler and ultrasound imaging is also done and it is decided on the intensity of the disease in the patient. Therefore, without delaying, patients should consult the doctor as soon as they notice any changes or they notice any of the above mentioned symptoms.