Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is also referred to as peripheral vascular disease, or peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD). These terms cover any illness related to blockages, or poor blood flow in the veins of the arms or legs. As with many types of diseases, the root causes are largely related to lifestyle factors, although they can be caused by other health conditions as well.
Lifestyle Factors
Smoking: It is not just smokers who are at risk of developing this condition, but also people exposed to second hand smoke. Smoking represents the most significant cause of PAD that can be avoided. Smoking affects the blood vessels by damaging the lining of the vessels.
Occupation: Jobs that require a lot of sitting or standing can weaken the valves in the blood vessels of the legs. When this happens, the blood pools in the legs as the veins cannot send the blood back to the heart.
Obesity: Being overweight can greatly increase an individual’s chances of developing this condition. This is due to a combination of factors such as lack of activity, and poor eating habits. Obesity is seen as a predictor of vascular problems and heart disease.
Diet: This is also for the most part a preventable cause of PAD. Diets high in fat and cholesterol can cause plaque buildup in the arteries which restricts blood flow leading to a host of problems. Even if the individual is not obese, poor diet still poses a serious risk.
Health Issues
Diabetes: This illness increases the risk of developing problems with peripheral arteries. This risk is even greater if the diabetic patient smokes. Unfortunately, circulatory problems usually lead to amputations for some diabetics.
High cholesterol: Individuals who suffer from dyslipidemia are at risk for developing PAD. This occurs when the body’s total cholesterol and trygliceride levels are too high. This can be helped by drastic changes in diet.
High blood pressure: This condition results in increase strain being placed on blood vessels and valves. This increases a patient’s risk of developing PAD as well as their susceptible to serious occurrences such heart attack or stroke.
Additional factors which can increase a person’s risk of developing PAD includes:
- Being over 50 or male.
- African Americans have been shown to have a higher propensity for developing this condition. This could however be linked to external factors such as health education, access to proper health care or unwillingness to visit a doctor.
- Anyone who has a family or personal history of heart attack, stroke or any type of vascular problem is also at risk.
A healthy lifestyle that includes physical activity and proper diet can go a long way towards offering protection from this serious condition. Alternative medicine has also been proven to be quite effective as a treatment option. One of the most successful methods is chelation therapy. With this therapy heavy metals are removed non-surgically from the body. This helps by dislodging some of the plaque buildup in the artery walls leading to improved blood flow. Some persons with PAD have also reported improved pain management with acupuncture.
Related Posts
Pregnancy is a time when most of the women are prone to some health complication depending on the lack of nutrients in the person. The most dangerous complication that can last...
Total cholesterol is made up of the results of your HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in combination with your Triglycerides. The desired total cholesterol to help reduce your...
If you have diabetes, you could – at some point – also have Neuropathy Diabetes. The proper term is actually Diabetic Neuropathy, and it is not a new form of diabetes, but...
If you have clogged arteries, your doctor may suggest coronary angioplasty or stents. This type of procedure will make it easier for blood to travel through your arteries. If your...
Hundreds of millions of people have high cholesterol and many are not even aware of it. There are two types of cholesterol to be concerned about. HDL (happy or good cholesterol)...
Leave a Reply
