What is a pad? Silent Killer without medicine affects over 10 million Americans

The quiet killer without lasting medicine, peripheral arteries (PAD), pays more and more attention when researchers warn that they affect over 10 million Americans at the age of 40 and older. This serious condition, which can lead to the loss of limbs and even death, is often undefined and not treated.

Peripheral artery disease conditionN happens when the arteries supplying blood to the shoulders and legs are narrowed or blocked due to the accumulation of plaque. This reduces blood flow, especially to the legs, and can cause pain, numbness and even serious complications, such as infections, gangrens, and in severe cases loss of limbs, heart attacks and impacts.

In the last study, scientists evaluated over 7,000 patients with peripheral artery disease in order to determine their risk of mortality, the level of treatment they received and the risk of having a serious cardiac event, such as heart attack, stroke, stroke or death or serious amputation of limbs.

Scientists have found that less than a third of people from PAD received full recommended care, from 29.6% of women and 33.5% of men receive all necessary treatments. While both men and women were addressed to specialists at a similar rate, women were more often referred to the healthcare providers of primary healthcare. The study also showed that women were slightly less inclined than men experience serious complications, such as serious heart problems or limb amputation.

The most striking disclosure was that regardless of gender, patients had more than 50 % chance of death from this state.

“In our study, we found a high indicator of non -functioning of peripheral arteries along with a higher level of mortality in these patients. Based on our findings, we believe that health care systems can do better work in the study of patients in terms of peripheral artery disease and treating them for it. These results are the possibility of improvement and implementation of care systems, especially for women.” he said The main author, Viet T. Le, associate professor of cardiovascular research at Intermountain Health.

Dr. Le explained that everyone from PAD should receive antiplatelet therapy and statins, but only about one in three actually get them.

The problem is not that doctors have no care or are not aware of the guidelines, but the symptoms of pad pain, such as leg pain, can mislead and treat various specialists who may not be familiar with the guidelines.

Although the pad can develop quietly without obvious symptoms, some symptoms may signal its presence. Typical symptoms include cold feet, leg pain or cramps during activity that facilitate rest, and wounds on the legs or feet that do not treat. Physical leg changes, such as muscle weakness, hair loss, shiny or cool skin and reduced impulses in the feet can also indicate poor blood flow caused by the pad. This condition becomes more common with age and is particularly common among people over 65 years of age.