What is peripheral vascular disease?
Peripheral vascular disease is a general term for conditions that affect the blood vessels. There are two major categories of peripheral vascular disease: peripheral venous disease and peripheral artery disease. 

Peripheral Venous Disease 

What is peripheral venous disease? 
Peripheral venous disease is a general term for damage, defects, or blockage in the peripheral veins. These veins carry blood from the hands and feet to the heart to receive oxygen. Peripheral venous disease can occur almost anywhere in the body but is most common in the arms and legs. Varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency are two of the most common peripheral venous diseases.

What causes peripheral venous disease?
The most common cause of peripheral venous disease is a blood clot that blocks a vein. When the clot is in a vein deep within the body, it is called a deep venous thrombosis. When the clot is in a vein closer to the skin, it is called superficial venous thrombophlebitis.

What causes blood clots?
A blood clot forms in the vein when the walls of the vein become weak and blood flows slowly through the vein. The walls can become weak through an injury, a long period of bed rest or inactivity, major surgery, pregnancy, or being overweight. Smoking, some cancers, and the use of birth control pills may also cause walls of the vein to become weak.

What are the symptoms of peripheral venous disease?
The most common symptom of peripheral venous disease is pain where the blood clot is located. You may also feel a warm area or notice an area of redness or swelling over the affected vein.

How is it diagnosed?
Peripheral venous disease is diagnosed through a physical examination that includes a check of your blood pressure and your heart. Your doctor can usually tell if you have a blood clot. However, you may have to undergo some additional tests. Common tests include Doppler ultrasound imaging, a venography, and a VQ scan.

How is peripheral venous disease treated?
In some cases, peripheral venous disease clears up by itself. In other cases, home treatment can help ease the condition. You may have to exercise, bandage, or elevate the affected area or wear special compression stockings. These elastic stockings squeeze the veins and keep the blood flowing in your legs, which makes it more difficult for blood clots to form. It might take several weeks or months before you notice improvement. 

There are treatments for peripheral venous disease that do not require surgery. Coumadin therapy, angiosplasty and stenting, and sclerotherapy are three common and safe nonsurgical treatments.

In cases where the blood clot is deep in the vein, you may have to undergo surgery. A widespread and safe common surgical treatment is called vein stripping. Your doctor will recommend the best treatment for your particular condition.

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Peripheral Artery Disease

What is peripheral artery disease?
Peripheral artery disease is a general term for damage, defects, or blockage in the peripheral arteries. These arteries carry blood and supply oxygen to the hands and feet. Anyone can develop peripheral artery disease, but it is most common in people over the age of 50. Peripheral artery disease is sometimes called peripheral arterial disease, or PAD.

Peripheral artery disease of the legs is the most common PAD, but the condition affects others parts of the body as well. Carotid artery disease occurs in the arteries of the neck. In renal artery disease, the arteries leading to the kidneys are blocked. Mesenteric artery disease (also called mesenteric artery ischemia) is a narrowing or blockage of one of the arteries supplying the large and small intestines. One of the most serious forms of peripheral artery disease is abdominal aortic aneurysm. This condition involves an abnormal widening of the aorta, the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. 

What causes peripheral artery disease?
The most common cause of peripheral artery disease is [arteriosclerosis], or hardening of the arteries. [Arteriosclerosis] results from a buildup of fat and cholesterol inside the arteries. This buildup, known as [plaque], clogs the arteries. PAD can also develop from blood clots in the vein.

What causes blood clots?
A blood clot forms in the vein when the walls of the vein become weak and blood flows slowly through the vein. The walls can become weak through an injury, a long period of bed rest or inactivity, major surgery, pregnancy, or being overweight. Smoking, some cancers, and the use of birth control pills may also cause walls of the vein to become weak.

What are the symptoms of peripheral artery disease?
The most common symptom of peripheral artery disease is pain in the leg, particularly when walking or exercising. Other symptoms include numbness and tingling in the lower legs and feet, coldness in the lower legs and feet, and sores on the leg that do not heal.

How is PAD diagnosed?
PAD is diagnosed through a physical examination that includes a check of your blood pressure and your heart. You may, however, have to undergo some additional tests. Common tests include [duplex ultrasound], Doppler ultrasound imaging, [arteriogram], [CAT scan], magnetic resonance angiography, and [renal angiogram].

How is it treated?
In some cases, lifestyle changes — such as quitting smoking, exercising, and controlling weight — can keep peripheral artery disease under control. 

There are treatments for peripheral artery disease that do not require surgery. [Carotid stenting], angioplasty and stenting for the peripheral arterial leg disease, [renal artery angioplasty with stent], and [abdominal aortic stent graft] are some of the common and safe nonsurgical treatments.

In severe cases, you may have to undergo surgery. A number of proven surgical procedures have been developed to treat PAD. They include [carotid endarterectomy], [femoropopliteal bypass], [tibioperoneal bypass], [mesenteric bypass], and [abdominal aortic bypass].

Your doctor will recommend the best treatment for your particular condition.

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