What is peripheral vascular disease?

Peripheral Vascular Disease involves the remainder of the body’s vascular system. Often peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is used to discuss feet and leg vascular problems.   I’ve talked about the cholesterol and plaque buildup in arteries.  When the coronary arteries are affected, the blood and oxygen supply may be inadequate and a heart attack can occur.  When the arteries to the head (including the carotid arteries) are affected, the blood and oxygen supply may be inadequate and an ischemic stroke can occur.   The same disease process, atherosclerosis, can affect the arteries to the rest of the body, especially smaller arteries going to the legs and feet.  

“Claudication” is a term doctors use to describe the calf pain due to atherosclerosis (and its inadequate blood supply and oxygen levels to the leg muscles.)  When a person suffers from claudication, he experiences calf pain when he walks. This pain goes away when he rests. 

Another serious problem from peripheral vascular disease involves wounds that do not heal.  A person may cut his toenail too close and then his toe becomes sore.  For most people, this situation might last a few days until it heals.  For a person with PVD, the sore toe may not heal.  What started out as a small injury can become a big limb-threatening problem.  Some people with peripheral vascular disease end up having surgery to remove toes, a foot and/or portions of a leg.   People who find themselves dealing with PVD should work closely with their doctors to get the best results and treatments.