Download Palomar Pomerado Wound Care Centers PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL

Palomar Pomerado Wound Care Centers
PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE
What is Peripheral Arterial Disease?
Your circulatory system is made up of the heart, arteries, veins and capillaries. The flow of blood through your body,
which is needed to provide nourishment and oxygen to your cells, is your “circulation”.
Your arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to all parts of your body. Normally, the blood flows easily through the arteries.
In arterial disease, the arteries become narrowed or blocked, and the vessels cannot carry enough blood to the legs and
feet.
If the blockage develops slowly, smaller arteries will develop over time and allow some blood to flow around the
narrowed area. This is called “collateral circulation”.
What are the signs and symptoms or Arterial Disease?
Signs and symptoms of decreased blood flow will involve changes in the way your legs and feet look and feel. You may
experience:
*Pain when walking
*Blue/ red coloring of the foot
*Pain at rest
*Numbness or tingling
*Decrease in leg hair growth
*Cool temperature of the skin
*Pallor (or paleness) of leg or foot when raised
*Wound that will not heal
Who is at risk for developing Arterial Disease?
The more risk factors a person has, the more likely he or she will develop arterial disease. The risk factors for arterial
disease include:
*Smoking
*High Cholesterol
*High blood pressure
*Diabetes
*Heart disease
*Overweight
*Family history of arterial disease
How can Arterial Disease be controlled or prevented?
We cannot totally cure or prevent arterial disease (atherosclerosis), but we can control certain risk factors by changing
our health habits.
Smoking - Tobacco in any form should be avoided. Nicotine causes the blood vessels to constrict, which prevents
the normal amount of blood from reaching the organs and extremities, and increases the risk of atherosclerosis. Smoking
also decreases the amount of oxygen in the blood, and may be associated with blood clot formation.
Diet - By reducing cholesterol and saturated fats in the diet, you may reduce the risk
High Blood Pressure - Untreated high blood pressure (hypertension) adds to the workload of the heart and
creates stress on the arteries.
Diabetes - People with diabetes are especially prone to atherosclerosis. It is important to follow the
recommendations of a health care team regarding diet, treatment and medications.
Exercise - Mild, regular, or daily exercise aids in the control of atherosclerosis.
Foot Care
When blood flow to the legs is decreased, small injuries to the feet or toes may result in serious infections, ulcers or
tissue death (gangrene). You need to:
Avoid situations that might cause a foot injury.
Never expose your feet to extreme heat or cold, or to strong chemicals.
Wash and dry your feet thoroughly, but do not soak.
Avoid going barefoot.
Wear new shoes only for short periods of time.
Inspect your feet and shoes. Check for any objects that could injure your feet.
Use a mirror if you have trouble seeing your feet. Ask someone to help you check your feet.
Check for areas of redness, warmth, swelling, ulcers or drainage.
Cut toe nails straight across and no shorter than the length of the toe.
In Conclusion…
With recent advances in vascular surgery, atherosclerosis may be treated with a low risk of complications. Surgery may
improve or remove symptoms, and restore you to a more independent lifestyle. Surgery does not cure atherosclerosis.
The disease process is still present. You can help control this. A firm commitment to keep follow up appointments with
you doctor and reduce risk factors will help to control further disease.