The key facts about Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a circulation problem caused by clogged arteries. Up to 30 percent of aging men and women suffer the aches and pain caused by PAD.  Here are some facts about the disease.

PAD is a slow, progressive disorder of blood vessels throughout the body. It is the most common form of peripheral vascular disease (PVD) — narrowing of arteries and veins that disrupts the natural function of blood vessels and even parts of the lymphatic system anywhere outside the heart (hence the name "peripheral").

Most often PAD is heavily influenced by what you eat, how much you exercise, and whether you smoke. You no doubt know that all of these lifestyle factors can help keep arteries in your heart clear and help control blood pressure, but they also affect the miles of blood vessels that supply every cell in your body with oxygen and nutrients.

• Your legs and feet may grow cold, numb, or even discolored.
• You may develop sores that won't heal (due to reduced blood flow and a lack of oxygen and nutrients to mend the tissue and fight infection).
• Tight, aching fatigue in the muscles of the thigh, buttocks, or calves that's grown worse over the past couple of months or years.
• You may not be able to walk long distances — or even a few blocks.
• Just one in four people with PAD know it — and tell their doctors. Many who've felt these aches never tell the doctor..

Once PAD becomes painful, your odds of having a fatal heart attack or stroke within 10 years rise to nearly 50 percent.

Fortunately, all the lifestyle steps that protect your heart can slow, stop, or even reverse this all-over artery clogging so you can walk where you want, when you want and cut your risk of heart attack and stroke.