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About Peripheral Arterial Disease
Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) has been estimated to afflict as many as 12 million people in the United States. PAD is generally higher in older age groups affecting 20% of men and women aged 55 and older1.
Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) refers to diseases of the blood vessels outside of the heart and brain. It often is a narrowing of blood vessels associated with the legs, arms, stomach or kidneys. PAD is a type of PVD where fatty buildups (atherosclerosis) in the wall of the artery block the normal flow of blood. PAD can cause pain and eventually lead to immobility. People with PAD often have fatty buildups in the arteries of the heart (Coronary artery disease) and of the brain (Carotid artery disease) and have a higher risk of death from stroke and heart attack. If a blood clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery to the heart, a heart attack results. If the clot blocks an artery to the brain, a stroke results. -- References 1 Meijer WT, et al: Peripheral arterial disease in the elderly: The Rotterdam Study. Arteriosclerosis, Thromb Vasc Biol 1998; 18(2): 185-192. |
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