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Peripheral Arterial Disease
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Blood Heart Circulation

Peripheral Arterial Disease

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a narrowing of blood vessels outside the heart, primarily due to atherosclerosis, reducing blood flow to the limbs and potentially leading to serious complications like tissue death.

Overview

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) happens when there is a narrowing of the blood vessels outside of your heart. The cause of PAD is atherosclerosis. This happens when plaque builds up on the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the arms and legs. Plaque is a substance made up of fat and cholesterol. It causes the arteries to narrow or become blocked. This can reduce or stop blood flow, usually to the legs. If severe enough, blocked blood flow can cause tissue death and can sometimes lead to amputation of the foot or leg.

PAD can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, and transient ischemic attack.

Causes & Risk Factors

The main risk factor for PAD is smoking. Other risk factors include older age and diseases like diabetes, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

Symptoms

Many people who have PAD don't have any symptoms. If you have symptoms, they may include:

  • Pain, numbness, achiness, or heaviness in the leg muscles. This happens when walking or climbing stairs.
  • Weak or absent pulses in the legs or feet
  • Sores or wounds on the toes, feet, or legs that heal slowly, poorly, or not at all
  • A pale or bluish color to the skin
  • A lower temperature in one leg than the other leg
  • Poor nail growth on the toes and decreased hair growth on the legs
  • Erectile dysfunction, especially among men who have diabetes

Diagnosis & Treatment

Doctors diagnose PAD with a physical exam and heart and imaging tests. Treatments include lifestyle changes, medicines, and sometimes surgery. Lifestyle changes include dietary changes, exercise, and efforts to lower high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have risk factors like smoking, diabetes, or high blood pressure, watch for pain, numbness, achiness, or heaviness in your leg muscles, especially when walking or climbing stairs. Other signs include sores on your toes, feet, or legs that heal slowly or not at all, a pale or bluish skin color, or a noticeable temperature difference between your legs.
You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience sudden, severe leg pain, a sudden change in leg color (especially if it becomes pale or bluish), or if existing sores on your feet or legs show signs of infection, such as increased redness, swelling, pus, or a foul odor, and are not healing. These could indicate a critical reduction in blood flow or a worsening infection.
Managing PAD involves significant lifestyle changes. It's crucial to stop smoking entirely, as it's a major risk factor. You should also focus on controlling conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol through diet, exercise, and prescribed medications. Regular physical activity, as advised by your doctor, can also help improve blood flow.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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