“What is the treatment for peripheral arterial disease?”
My mother has been diagnosed with peripheral arterial disease. What can be done for this?
8 Answers
The treatment can range from an exercise program to build collateral pathways around blocked arteries, medications to dilate blood vessels and make blood thinner for easy blood flow, angiogram and stent placement in blocked arteries to surgical procedures where clogged arteries may be clean or bypassed. The choice depends on the severity of symptoms. Most patients can be managed conservatively without procedures.
The best treatment depends on many factors including the symptoms she is having, the location of the narrowing in the artery and her medical history. Treatment can range from medical management alone to complex bypass surgery. A vascular surgeon is the best person to determine what will be the best way to treat her.
It depends on the severity. Sometimes just medical management, sometimes minimally invasive procedures (endovascular), sometimes open surgeries.
Peripheral arterial disease is when the arteries to your legs fill up with plaque. Plaque is made of calcium and cholesterol. Having plaque in your arteries doesn’t automatically mean you need to have surgery.
PAD can be asymptotic for years. As it progresses patients can develop pain in their legs, typically the calves. If it gets really bad, you can develop gangrene.
The initial treatment ( unless you have gangrene), is to control the risk factors.
First: STOP SMOKING
Second: control of Diabetes, not just medication, DIET.
Third: choleterol and Triglyceride management ( also needs proper diet)
Fourth: blood pressure control
Fifth: stress levels need to be managed
Sixth: know when to rest, develop good sleep habits
Seventh: get out and MOVE. Exercise, exercise, exercise.
PAD can be asymptotic for years. As it progresses patients can develop pain in their legs, typically the calves. If it gets really bad, you can develop gangrene.
The initial treatment ( unless you have gangrene), is to control the risk factors.
First: STOP SMOKING
Second: control of Diabetes, not just medication, DIET.
Third: choleterol and Triglyceride management ( also needs proper diet)
Fourth: blood pressure control
Fifth: stress levels need to be managed
Sixth: know when to rest, develop good sleep habits
Seventh: get out and MOVE. Exercise, exercise, exercise.
Routine treatments can involve an open operation, opening up the artery with a balloon, placing a stent in the artery, or an atherectomy, a type of operation which acts like a Roto-Rooter. Many times, you know they may have PAD and does not need to be treated. Treatment is predicated upon symptoms.
Many treatment options are available for patients with peripheral arterial disease depending on the symptoms and the type and nature and length of blockages. You should have your mother be evaluated by a vascular specialist.
PAD is a very broad diagnosis. Asymptomatic patients typically do not require treatment. Aneurysms are best treated without symptoms.
Treatment of PAD depends on symptoms, but first thing is to control risk factors- stop smoking, BP under control, start asa and statins. If the symptoms are moderate to severe then endovascular intervention is the way to go depending on the level of disease on ultrasound.
