Claim: Treatments for peripheral artery disease include atherectomy to remove atherosclerosis from blood vessels within the body.

Peripheral artery disease -LRB- PAD -RRB- is a narrowing of the arteries other than those that supply the heart or the brain . When narrowing occurs in the heart , it is called coronary artery disease , while , in the brain , it is called cerebrovascular disease . Peripheral artery disease most commonly affects the legs , but other arteries may also be involved . The classic symptom is leg pain when walking which resolves with rest , known as intermittent claudication . Other symptoms including skin ulcers , bluish skin , cold skin , or poor nail and hair growth may occur in the affected leg . Complications may include an infection or tissue death which may require amputation ; coronary artery disease , or stroke . Up to 50 % of cases of PAD are without symptoms .   The main risk factor is cigarette smoking . Other risk factors include diabetes , high blood pressure , and high blood cholesterol . The underlying mechanism is usually atherosclerosis . Other causes include artery spasm . PAD is typically diagnosed by finding an ankle-brachial index -LRB- ABI -RRB- less than 0.90 , which is the systolic blood pressure at the ankle divided by the systolic blood pressure of the arm . Duplex ultrasonography and angiography may also be used . Angiography is more accurate and allows for treatment at the same time ; however , it is associated with greater risks .   It is unclear if screening for disease is useful as it has not been properly studied . In those with intermittent claudication from PAD , stopping smoking and supervised exercise therapy improves outcomes . Medications , including statins , ACE inhibitors , and cilostazol also may help . Aspirin does not appear to help those with mild disease but is usually recommended in those with more significant disease . Anticoagulants such as warfarin are not typically of benefit . Procedures used to treat the disease include bypass grafting , angioplasty , and atherectomy .   In 2015 about 155 million people had PAD worldwide . In the developed world it affects about 5.3 % of 45 to 50 years olds and 18.6 % of 85 - to 90-year-olds . In the developing world it affects 4.6 % of people between the ages of 45 to 50 and 15 % of people between the ages of 85 to 90 . In the developed world PAD is equally common among men and women while in the developing world women are more commonly affected . In 2015 PAD resulted in about 52,500 deaths up from 16,000 deaths in 1990 .