Aging & Health A to Z
Peripheral Artery Disease
Causes & Symptoms
The most common cause of peripheral artery disease is atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque (cholesterol deposits) on the inside walls of your arteries, which causes them to become narrower and stiffer.
Less common causes of peripheral artery disease include:
- Inflammation or infection of your blood vessels
- Injury to your arms or legs
- Irregular anatomy of your arteries, muscles or ligaments.
Risk factors for peripheral artery disease include:
- Male gender
- Family history of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke or other circulation problems
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
Peripheral artery disease occurs in 5 percent of adults over age 50 and in 20 percent of adults over age 70.
The most common symptom of peripheral artery disease is pain in the calves, thighs, or buttocks when you exert these muscles. Sometimes the pain feels like burning or aching, and it can even occur at rest when the blockages are severe, especially when lying down at night.
You may have leg pain that comes and goes, or that goes away when you rest from blocked arteries. This is called intermittent claudication.
Other symptoms include:
- Changes in the color or texture of the skin on your legs or feet (thin, brittle, or shiny skin)
- Leg numbness, weakness or heaviness
- Coldness or dark discoloration in your lower legs or feet
- Sores on your legs or feet that are slow to heal
- Loss of hair on your legs
- Thick toenails
- Erectile dysfunction.
Sometimes, a blood clot lodges in an artery and blocks blood flow, causing tissue damage. If you have peripheral artery disease and experience sudden, intense leg pain, seek medical attention or call 911 immediately.
Older adults may have decreased blood flow to their legs or feet, and even serious tissue damage, without being aware of it. That’s because circulation problems can decrease pain sensations, and poor vision may make it difficult to see skin color or texture changes. Older adults with diabetes are at special risk, because of the nerve and vision damage that diabetes can cause. Be sure your healthcare professional examines your feet and circulation in your legs frequently.
Updated: March 2012
Posted: March 2012