Background

Risk factors for peripheral artery disease are much the same as for cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease. They are age, smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity and family history. Of these, by far the most important is cigarette smoking; the relative risk is about 9 for those smoking more than 15 cigarettes a day.

Peripheral artery disease produces symptoms of pain, ache, cramp or severe fatigue in one or both legs occasioned by walking (intermittent claudication), so that those affected slacken their walking pace, or stop altogether. Pain-free walking distance (PFWD) on a treadmill at standard pace and incline is one of the tests used in determining disease severity.
 

What is peripheral arterial disease?

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a problem with blood flow in the arteries. Arteries carry blood to the muscles and organs in your body. When you have diseased arteries, they become narrow or blocked. The most common cause of narrow or blocked arteries is fatty deposits (also called atherosclerosis). The most common complaint of people with PAD is pain in the calf or thigh muscle that occurs after you have walked a certain distance, such as a block or two. The pain stops after you rest for a while.. If you notice pain in your legs after you walk a block or more, ask your doctor about PAD.