Facts about peripheral arterial disease.

Facts about peripheral arterial disease or PAD:

• Peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, is sometimes called peripheral vascular disease. Both names describe the blocking of blood vessels in the peripheral parts of the body, away from the heart.

• The blockages are caused by the buildup of cholesterol, scar tissue and blood clots within the  blood vessel - the same thing that happens in the blood vessels that feed the heart.

• PAD interferes with the flow of blood to the legs and feet, which can cause pain or numbness in the legs. When the pain occurs while a person is walking or exercising, it's called claudication. When it occurs as a person is sleeping, it's called rest pain.

• Similar blockages in the heart or brain may cause a heart attack or stroke.

• People with PAD, especially PAD that causes pain, have a much higher than normal risk of having a heart attack or stroke. PAD is considered a warning sign for more serious, life-threatening problems.

• PAD is more likely to develop in people who have an inherited (genetic) tendency to develop blocked arteries, and in people over age 50. It's also much more common in people who smoke, people who have have diabetes, high levels of blood fat (for example, cholesterol) and high blood pressure, and in people who are overweight. African-Americans appear to have a higher risk than other groups.

• PAD can be diagnosed using an ultrasound test.

• People who have PAD should quit smoking if they haven't already done so.

• PAD can be treated using exercise, dietary changes, good blood-sugar control, and medications to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. Severe cases are treated with minimally invasive procedures or surgery.