Peripheral artery disease (PAD), also known as peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a slow and progressive circulation disorder. It may involve disease in any of the blood vessels outside of the heart and diseases of the lymph vessels - the arteries, veins, or lymphatic vessels. Arteries are the blood vessels that deliver oxygen-rich blood and nutrients from the heart to the tissues of your entire body. When you have PAD/PVD, neither the oxygen nor the nutrients can get to the legs, arms and organs. Conditions associated with PAD/PVD may occur because the artery becomes blocked in some manner (oclusive) or the artery constricts due to a spasm or expands (functional). Examples of occlusive PAD/PVD include peripheral arterial occlusion and Buerger's disease (thromboangiitis obliterans). An example of functional PAD includes Raynaud's disease and phenomenon. One in every 20 Americans over the age of 50 has PAD/PVD, a condition that develops when fatty deposits that limit blood flow to the legs and increase the risk for a heart attack or stroke. Men and women are equally affected by PAD/PVD, although African-Americans have an increased risk. At Detroit Medical Center, interventional cardiologists and vascular surgeons are now using some of the latest imaging technology to get access to the arteries in order to treat PAD/PVD. Symptoms Leg pain with physical activity (goes away with rest) Muscle loss (atrophy) Hair loss on legs Smooth, shiny skin on legs Skin that is cool to the touch, especially when accompanied by pain while walking Decreased or absent pulses in the feet Non-healing ulcers or sores on the legs or feet Cold or numb toes If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, DO NOT WAIT. Talk to a doctor. If you do not have a doctor, call 888-DMC-2500, and the DMC Health Access Center can help you locate one, and schedule an appointment. Treatment There are options for treatment. Understanding and modifying your risk factors is an important part of treating PAD/PVD. A risk factor is anything that may increase your chance of developing a disease, and can be changeable or unchangeable. Changeable risk factors are things you can change, including your coronary artery disease, impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, obesity, physical inactivity and smoking or use of tobacco products. In the case of PAD/PVD, unchangeable risk factors include your age, family or personal history of heart disease, male gender, type 1 diabetes (diabetes mellitus), postmenopausal women and a family history of dyslipidemia, hypertension or peripheral vascular disease. Treatment can also involve a number of surgical options, including femoral popliteal bypass surgery, femoral popliteal stenting, femoral popliteal balloon angioplasty, thrombolytic therapy, minimally invasive atherectomy, or other vascular surgery.