Question: What causes Peripheral Artery Disease ?
Answer: The most common cause of peripheral arterydisease (P.A.D.) is atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a disease in which plaque builds up in your arteries. The exact cause of atherosclerosis isn't known. The disease may start if certain factors damage the inner layers of the arteries. These factors include: Smoking High amounts of certain fats and cholesterol in the blood High blood pressure High amounts of sugar in the blood due to insulin resistance or diabetes When damage occurs, your body starts a healing process. The healing may cause plaque to build up where the arteries are damaged. Eventually, a section of plaque can rupture (break open), causing a blood clot to form at the site. The buildup of plaque or blood clots can severely narrow or block the arteries and limit the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your body.
Source: NHLBI