Peripheral Arterial Disease

The circulatory system is a network of specialized tubes (known as blood vessels) that carry oxygenand nutrient-rich blood to the organs and tissues of the body. There are 3 types of blood vessels: arteries, veins, and lymphatics. The heart is the pumping organ of the body. It pumps oxygenand nutrient-rich blood into the aorta, which is the main artery of the body. The branches of the aorta, known as the arteries, carry blood to the organs of the body, such as the kidneys, the liver, and the intestines, as well as to the arms and legs (extremities). The veins return blood from the organs and the extremities to the heart to replenish the blood with oxygen and restart the process. This cycle repeats thousands of times each day. The lymphatics are the third type of blood vessels of the circulation. Lymphatics collect fluid from the tissues of the body and filter it through the lymph nodes. The lymphatics eventually connect with veins to return fluid from the tissues to the blood and the heart. This article focuses on a disorder of the arteries known as peripheral arterial disease (PAD). PAD Is Atherosclerosis of the Extremities PAD is a medical condition caused by blockages of the arteries that provide blood flow to the arms or legs. You may have also heard of this problem referred to as peripheral vascular disease (PVD) or “bad circulation.” In PAD, the arteries become blocked by cholesterol plaque caused by atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a common problem in Western societies. Atherosclerosis can involve almost all of the major arteries of the body. Atherosclerosis of the arteries of the heart is known as coronary artery disease, the process that causes chest pain (angina) and heart attack (myocardial infarction). Atherosclerosis of the arteries of the neck and brain, known as cerebrovascular disease, causes strokes. Atherosclerosis of the arteries of the arms and legs, as well as the aorta, is known as PAD. Many frequently occurring conditions place people at risk for developing PAD. The conditions that increase the risk of PAD are the same risk factors that increase the risk of heart attack or stroke (see the box titled “Common Risk Factors for PAD”). Cigarette smoking, both tobacco and marijuana, is the most important correctable risk factor for the development of PAD, whereas age is the most significant nonreversible risk factor. Researchers are actively working to figure out why PAD specifically and atherosclerosis in general develop in some people but not in others. Some of the newer areas of interest include chronic inflammation of blood vessels and inherited (genetic) factors.