So, what is peripheral vascular disease? Well, first of all, vascular disease refers to any problem with the vasculature of the body. Those would be the arteries and veins. Peripheral is to distinguish it from two other vascular beds in the body. The main three vascular beds in the body would be the cerebral, or vascular bed of the brain, the coronary vascular bed, which feeds the heart, and then, the vascular bed which feeds everything else, the rest of the body.
So vascular disease is really talking about the disease which affects the vasculature of the rest of the body, from the most part, our lower extremities and legs. It can be caused by a lot of the same things that cause the cerebral vascular disease or the coronary vascular disease. That would be the buildup of cholesterol plaque within those arteries. For the most part, they have a lot of the same risk factors as the cerebral and coronary vascular disease does. That would be smoking, lack of exercise, increased blood pressure and cholesterol. For peripheral vascular disease, however, smoking, plays a large factor.
So, how do you know if you have peripheral vascular disease? Oftentimes, you can note that in one of two ways. One would be lower extremity cramping or pain, which we call claudication with walking. Another way may be to see that the signs of decreased blood flow to the legs or feet. That would be cold or cool feet, or hair loss on the lower extremities, or a change in color of the feet or toes. The most common symptom would be claudication, which is a leg cramping during walking.
The best thing to do would be to see your doctor. Your doctor can order a pretty simple test, which we call a lower extremity vascular study or a peripheral artery study. The test starts off with something called an ankle brachial index, which is just a simple measure of the blood pressure difference between the arms, or upper extremity, and the legs. It can be done with a simple 15 minute in-office procedure. It’s pretty painless and will tell the doctor right away if there’s any problems with the vasculature in your legs.
So, how do we treat peripheral artery disease? It would be going back to the basic lifestyle modifications; stopping smoking, reducing your blood pressure, and treating high cholesterol. Another very important way we treat peripheral artery disease would be to increase the amount of exercise that you do. And that’s the basic things you need to know about peripheral artery disease.
Content
4.13 -> so what is peripheral vascular disease
6.799 -> well first of all vascular disease
9.269 -> refers to any problem with the
10.62 -> vasculature of the body those would be
12.57 -> the arteries and veins peripheral is
14.82 -> that this thing we should from two other
16.289 -> vascular beds in the body the main three
18.96 -> vascular beds in the body would be the
20.97 -> cerebral or vascular bed of the brain
23.01 -> the coronary vascular bed which feeds
25.41 -> the heart and then the vascular bed
27.539 -> which feeds everything else the rest of
29.13 -> the body so vascular disease is really
31.23 -> talking about the disease which affects
33.3 -> the vasculature of the rest of the body
35.01 -> for the most part our lower extremities
37.41 -> or legs it can be caused by a lot of the
39.45 -> same things that caused the cerebral
41.219 -> vascular disease or the coronary
42.719 -> vascular disease that would be the build
44.46 -> up of cholesterol plaque within those
45.84 -> arteries for the most part they have a
47.85 -> lot of the same risk factors as the
49.86 -> cerebral and coronary vascular disease
51.39 -> does that would be smoking lack of
53.91 -> exercise increased blood pressure and
56.55 -> cholesterol for peripheral vascular
58.44 -> disease however smoking plays a large
60.629 -> factor so how do you know if you have
62.43 -> peripheral vascular disease oftentimes
64.979 -> you can note that in one of two ways
67.56 -> one would be lower extremity cramping or
70.2 -> pain which we call claudication with
72.45 -> walking another way may be to see that
75.21 -> the signs of decreased blood flow to the
77.67 -> legs or feet that would be cold or cool
79.92 -> feet or hair loss on the lower
82.11 -> extremities or a change in color of the
84.78 -> feet or toes the most common symptom
86.909 -> would be claudication which is a leg
88.86 -> cramping during walking the best thing
91.77 -> to do would be to see your doctor your
93.81 -> doctor can order a pretty simple test
95.28 -> which we call a lower extremity vascular
97.32 -> study or peripheral artery study the
99.57 -> test starts off with something called an
100.95 -> ankle brachial index which is just a
103.14 -> simple measure of the blood pressure
104.369 -> difference between the arms or upper
106.11 -> extremity and the legs it can be done
108.36 -> with a simple 15 minute in office
110.04 -> procedure it's pretty painless and will
112.56 -> tell the doctor right away if there's
114 -> any problems with the vasculature in
115.5 -> your legs so how do we treat peripheral
117.21 -> artery disease it would be going back to
