When one of the body organs is not operating as required, the body experiences symptoms that may be severe with time. Blood flow is essential since every part of the body relies on blood for it to function effectively. Blood transports oxygen to different body parts, and if it experiences any obstacles during its flow, the body parts start to experience problems. A condition such as peripheral artery disease is one of the diseases that occur due to poor blood flow to the limbs. Alexandria peripheral arterial disease specialist, Dr. Gary P. Jones, MD, FACS, diagnoses and offers treatment of this condition at Louisiana Cardiovascular and Thoracic Institute. Call or book online.
Table of Contents
Overview of Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
Peripheral artery disease occurs when fats build up in the arteries, causing the arteries’ path to narrow. The condition is located outside the heart and brain, preventing blood from reaching the arms and legs. There is a high risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke if you have PAD.
Symptoms of Peripheral Artery Disease
The symptoms occur depending on the severity of the condition. They include;
- Shiny skin on your legs occurring due to insufficient blood
- Pain and cramps around your hips, thighs, or calf muscles after activities such as walking (claudication)
- Numbness in your legs
- Slow growth of toenails and hair on your legs
- Color change in your legs
- Erectile dysfunction
- Experiencing coldness in your foot
- Open sores in your feet that don’t heal
What Causes Peripheral Artery Disease?
A condition where fatty deposit builds up on the arteries causing the artery to narrow, is known as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a major cause of peripheral artery disease. Other minor causes may include injury or a blood clot in the arteries, injury to the limbs or muscles causing inflammation of the artery.
Risk factors
Susceptibility of the following conditions indicates a high probability of getting peripheral artery disease. They include;
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Smoking any form of tobacco
- Obesity
- High cholesterol
- Advancing in age
- Family history of heart disease
- High levels of homocysteine
How is peripheral artery disease diagnosed?
Dr. Jones, together with the team, uses various methods to identify peripheral artery disease. Besides a thorough physical examination, the team also uses an angiogram that normally pinpoints any artery blockage by observing the blood flow. They use arterial ultrasound, an ankle-brachial index that compares the blood pressure in the arm and ankle.
Treatment
What determines the treatment procedure is how severe your condition is. At Louisiana Cardiovascular and Thoracic Institute, the team of specialists comes up with a treatment program after a thorough examination. The variety of treatments that they offer includes;
- Angioplasty where they open the artery using a surgical balloon
- Stenting
- Lifestyle modification involves regular physical activities to burn calories, eating a healthy diet with low-fat content, and quitting smoking tobacco
- Atherectomy involves minimally invasive surgery to remove the fatty materials blocking the artery
Louisiana Cardiovascular and Thoracic Institute is equipped with specialists to transform your overall lifestyle by improving your blood flow. Do not live with a body condition, not knowing where you can seek treatment. Enjoy the services from experts today. Schedule a consultation through online booking or calling the office.