Media
Press Release November 12
Peripheral Arterial Disease Contributes to Amputations
And Walking Problems in People with Diabetes
Peripheral arterial disease (P.A.D.) is a common cardiovascular disease that affects more than 8 million Americans. People with diabetes are at higher risk for having P.A.D. Some studies have found that one out of three people with diabetes over age 50 has P.A.D., which is associated with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, amputation, disability and death.
The good news is steps can be taken to prevent damage to blood vessels and cut chances of heart attack, stroke or losing a leg by taking care of blood glucose (sugar) and other heart disease risk factors. These are often referred to as the ABC’s of diabetes:
A is for the A1C test that measures your average blood glucose over the past 2 to 3 months.
B is for your blood pressure.
C is for your cholesterol.
Patients should talk to their health care team about their ABC numbers and work together to develop a plan to reach target goals.
P.A.D. occurs when arteries in the legs become narrowed or clogged with fatty deposits, reducing blood flow to the legs. As a result, P.A.D. may cause leg muscle pain when walking and lead to disability, amputation and a poor quality of life. The blocked arteries found in people with P.A.D. are an indication that they are likely to have narrowed arteries to the heart and the brain. Thus, P.A.D. is a powerful warning sign of existing cardiovascular disease and raises the likelihood of having a heart attack or stroke.
The P.A.D. Coalition has a series of nine patient handouts that health care providers may download in PDF format and copy for their patients, including “Managing Diabetes and P.A.D.” The materials provide easy-to-understand, science-based information to help patients and their families better manage P.A.D. Several topics have been specifically adapted for the Canadian population by including metric conversions.
“People with diabetes and their health care providers should take steps to learn more about P.A.D. today.” said P.A.D. Coalition Chair, Marge Lovell, RN, Clinical Trials Nurse at the London Health Sciences Centre in London, ON. “By empowering our patients and helping them properly manage their disease, we can reduce the devastating consequences of P.A.D., including heart attack, stroke and amputation.”
P.A.D. affects both women and men and can strike adults of any age. However, the risk of P.A.D. is increased in those over the age of 50, particularly in those who smoke or have smoked; have diabetes, high blood pressure, or abnormal cholesterol; are of African American ethnicity; or have a personal history of heart disease or stroke.
For information on P.A.D., visit www.PADCoalition.org or call 866.PAD.INFO (866.723.4636).
About the P.A.D. Coalition
The Peripheral Arterial Disease (P.A.D.) Coalition is an alliance of leading health organizations, vascular health professional societies, and government agencies united to raise public and health professional awareness about lower extremity P.A.D. Established in 2004, the P.A.D. Coalition is coordinated by the Vascular Disease Foundation (www.vdf.org), a national, not-for-profit section 501(c)(3) organization. The P.A.D. Coalition seeks to improve the prevention, early detection, treatment, and rehabilitation of people with, or at risk for, P.A.D.
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