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Hardening of the Arteries
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- If there is an insufficient blood
supply to the lower extremities (legs and feet) due to
blockages or narrowing of blood vessels, it is known as
Peripheral Vascular Disease. The first symptom is usually
pain (or aching fatigue) that occurs with exertion (walking
or exercise). The medical term for this discomfort on
exertion is called claudication. The most common cause of
Peripheral Vascular Disease is narrowing due to cholesterol
build up in the walls of the arteries leading to the legs
and/or feet.
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- Pain or aching in the legs
(especially calves) or feet when walking
- As the disease worsens, the
arteries narrow, and pain (in the feet) at night may
occur
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- Atherosclerosis (cholesterol
narrowing)
- Cigarette smoking (strong
contributing factor)
- Thromboangiitis Obliterans (Buerger's
disease)
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- Decreases pulses in the feet or behind the knee
- Redness to feet and legs
- Hair loss in the feet and legs
- The skin in the affected areas is
cool
- X-Rays may show
calcified blood vessels
- Doppler/ultrasound of the
arterial blood vessels to assess the blood flow
- Arteriography -- a dye is injected and X-Rays are taken of
the blood vessels
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- Low dose aspirin (80-325 mg/day)
- Trental (Pentoxifylline) or
Pletal
- Angioplasty -- a balloon is
inflated to open up the narrowed blood vessels
- Surgical bypass -- the area of
blockage or narrowing is
bypassed
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