Community Health: Peripheral Artery Disease

September is Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Awareness month so our conversation today gave us great information about the unfortunate consequences of ignoring PAD symptoms, especially if they're diabetic and have other risk factors. It is part of our community health partnership with Valley Health where we talk each month with administrators, physicians, and other Valley Health staff about health topics, events, and the community. Joining me today: Ayorinde Akinrinlola, MD, Valley Health Vascular Surgeons (who sees patients in Winchester, Front Royal and Martinsburg) and medical director of the Peripheral Vascular Disease Clinical Council at WMC Eric McBride, NP, wound care/limb preservation specialist and clinical manager, Center for Advanced Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine on WMC campus Dr. A. and Eric answered several questions about Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) -- also known as Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) – what it is, how to know you've got it, treatment options, and most importantly how you can prevent it. PAD causes decreased blood flow in the legs and may cause leg pain with walking or even at rest. It can also cause non-healing ulcers or, ultimately, gangrene. These patients are at high risk for limb loss over time. PAD affects approximately 6.5 million people aged 40 and older in the United States. One in three people over the age of 50 with diabetes will develop PAD. An estimated 200,000 people (disproportionately from minority communities) suffer avoidable amputations every year.   Major risk factors include hypertension (high blood pressure), hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), diabetes, smoking, and kidney disease.   At Valley Health, multiple specialties are involved in PAD diagnosis and treatment: vascular surgery, cardiology, podiatry, wound care/limb preservation, and cardiovascular rehab. Get more details here: https://www.valleyhealthlink.com/our-services/heart-vascular/vascular-surgery/