Whole Wheat Waffles Recipe

Amputation Prevention Center

What is PAD?

Peripheral arterial disease (also known as PAD) occurs when there is a narrowing of the peripheral arteries that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body. Simply put, it is a circulatory problem where narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to our limbs. Similar to coronary artery disease, PAD is also caused by atherosclerosis, the buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries that causes them to narrow and cause blockage throughout the body in various critical locations such as heart, brain, arms, legs, pelvis, kidney, and elsewhere. Individuals with PAD face a significantly increased risk for cardiovascular ischemic events like strokes and heart attacks and sudden cardiac death. If left untreated, PAD can lead to amputation. The amputation rates are 5-10 times higher for patients with diabetes than their nondiabetic counterparts.

What are signs and symptoms of PAD?

The typical and classic symptom for PAD is pain in the legs with physical activity, such as walking, that subsides with rest. Surprisingly though, not all patients with PAD experience leg pain. Other symptoms that may point towards PAD may be: • Numbness or weakness in the leg • Coldness in the lower leg or foot • Sores on toes, feet or leg that won’t heal • Change in the color of legs • Slower hair growth on your legs and feet • Hair loss on legs • Slower growth of toenails The major problem with diagnosing PAD is that often times, patients think their symptoms are a normal part of the aging process and do not report them to their healthcare provider. If you are facing any of the above signs or symptoms, make sure to let your provider know.

What are the risk factors for PAD?

Risk factors for developing PAD include: • Smoking • Diabetes • High cholesterol • High blood pressure • Age above 60 years • Obesity (having a body mass index of over 30) Approximately 6.5 million people aged 40 and above in the United States have PAD. It affects both men and women.

How can I prevent PAD?

• Do not use tobacco. Smoking increases the risk of PAD and makes symptoms only worse • If you are a diabetic follow up closely with your primary care doctor or endocrinologist • Exercise often. Aim for 30 to 45 minutes of exercise to help prevent PAD or improve symptoms of PAD • Lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels • Eat foods low in saturated fats • Maintain a healthy weight At FCCI, we pride ourselves on preventing unnecessarily amputations. We do this every day. Patients such as Mr. Robert Rio have witnessed this themselves: “I was taken care of immediately and patiently. The staff was amazing and

understanding of my condition and didn’t rush me through the process. During our first appointment, our doctor was very kind and amazing at explaining all the procedures and test results. He told us right away that he will save my buddy (my leg). I am very thankful for the FCCI team; they fought for my leg like it was theirs.”

“...They fought for my leg like it was theirs.”