Peripheral Vascular Disease FAQ
Peripheral Vascular Disease Diagnoses in Arizona
Learn More About Peripheral Vascular Disease
Being diagnosed with a vein disorder is no walk in the park. You deserve support as you learn to live with your condition and search for the right treatments. At Arizona Vein and Laser Institute, we’re committed to helping our patients better understand peripheral vascular disease and other conditions. At our six locations across the state, we offer outstanding care to patients with all kinds of symptoms. If you have a question about a peripheral vascular disease diagnosis, browse our FAQ or reach out to us directly to talk to a healthcare professional.
What Is Peripheral Vascular Disease?
Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a group of conditions that affect the blood vessels surrounding the heart and brain. In many cases, PVD causes blood vessels connecting the arms, legs, stomach, and kidneys to narrow and make it difficult for blood to get through. You might have also heard of peripheral artery disease, which is a type of PVD that occurs because of fatty buildup and plaque in the arteries.
Are There Any PVD Symptoms?
Many patients with PVD have no apparent symptoms. When they do appear, it can be easy to write them off as normal cramping or fatigue. However, it’s crucial to stay vigilant for certain symptoms and report them to your doctor. PVD patients often report the following symptoms:
- Achiness or discomfort in the legs
- Pain that only appears while walking or exercising
- Discolored skin (purple or blue)
- Ulcers on the feet and legs
- Reduced hair on the legs
- The skin on the legs and feet appears thin or shiny
What Causes PVD?
PVD can result from a variety of factors. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, excessive stress, and a poor diet (leading to high cholesterol) can cause organic PVD and PAD. However, many patients develop PVD as a result of another condition, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. It’s important to talk to your doctor about whether you’re susceptible to a common PVD cause.
Which Treatments Do You Recommend?
While there is no peripheral vascular cure, we can offer you a slew of treatment options. Minor cases of PVD can be alleviated with lifestyle changes. Our team will work with you to create a plan that promotes healthy living. This plan might include steps toward quitting smoking, eating a balanced diet, or fitting exercise into your daily schedule. Other patients benefit from medications that reduce the risk of blood clots and control cholesterol and blood pressure. In the most severe cases of PVD, we may need to do surgery. These procedures insert a catheter to open up the blocked veins or use grafting to bypass the blockage.
How Do I Know If I’m at Risk?
PVD most often stems from lifestyle habits and underlying conditions. Most diagnoses are linked to a history of smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. However, people who do not meet any of these criteria may still be at increased risk for PVD. Men older than 50 have a higher chance of developing the disease, and those with a sedentary lifestyle further increase their risk. The best way to minimize your chances of PVD is to make healthy changes to your lifestyle—implement a heart-healthy diet, exercise often, and lose weight if directed to do so by a doctor.
Peripheral Vascular Disease Specialists in Arizona
Vein disorders are a disheartening diagnosis. You deserve support as you learn to navigate life with your condition. That’s where Arizona Vein & Laser Institute comes in. Our Arizona vein specialists empower our patients with clarity and compassionate guidance to help them better understand peripheral vascular disease and the treatment options available to them.
Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a group of conditions that affect the blood vessels surrounding the heart and brain. In many cases, PVD causes blood vessels connecting the arms, legs, stomach, and kidneys to narrow, hindering blood flow. There is also peripheral artery disease, a similar condition that occurs due to plaque in the arteries.
Peripheral vascular disease can be challenging to detect. This is because many patients with the condition do not experience any symptoms. Other times, patients mistake peripheral vascular disease symptoms with normal cramping or fatigue, which can be hazardous as it allows the condition to progress.
Peripheral vascular disease symptoms vary depending on the patient. The common PVD symptoms include:
- Achiness or discomfort in the legs
- Pain that only appears when walking or exercising
- Purple or blue skin discoloration
- Ulcers on the feet and legs
- Reduced hair growth on the legs
- Thin or shiny skin on legs and feet
To diagnose peripheral vascular disease, your physician will conduct a physical examination and review your medical history and suspected PVD symptoms. They may also refer you for diagnostic procedures, including:
- Angiogram
- Ankle-brachial index
- Doppler ultrasound flow studies
- Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)
- Treadmill exercise test
- Reactive hyperemia test
- Pulse volume recording waveform analysis
- Photoplethysmography (PPG)
Untreated or severe cases of PVD lead to absent or decreased blood flow. As a result, there are a number of associated complications, including:
- Limb amputation
- Wounds that cannot heal
- Limited mobility
- Severe pain in the extremities
- Stroke
Peripheral vascular disease treatment is designed to manage symptoms and slow the progression of PVD. Unfortunately, there is no cure to eliminate peripheral vascular disease. However, minor cases of PVD can be alleviated with proactive lifestyle adjustments.
Mitigating the development of PVD requires understanding and managing the associated risk factors. A physician can help you curate an effective prevention program, including precautions such as:
- Quit smoking, tobacco use, and alcohol intake
- Improve dietary habits
- Control diabetes, high blood pressure and/or cholesterol
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Exercise regularly
- Take medication as prescribed
Early intervention, including peripheral vascular disease treatment and lifestyle modifications, often leads to a full recovery from PVD. However, patients who do not pursue proactive treatment or adopt the necessary changes often face critical limb ischemia. Once PVD progresses to critical limb ischemia, amputation may be the only option.
Post-menopausal women and men over 50 years old are more susceptible to developing PVD. However, PVD can affect men and women at any age. The risk of PVD is higher in patients who are overweight, smoke, or lead a sedentary lifestyle and those with pre-existing medical conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, or kidney disease.
Consult With Arizona Vein and Laser Institute Today
If you’re concerned about PVD or vascular insufficiency, don’t hesitate to reach out to the team at Arizona Vein and Laser Institute. We can answer all of your questions and help you better understand your condition. Your doctor will walk you through your treatment options and recommend lifestyle changes to minimize your symptoms. Every step of the way, we emphasize compassion and outstanding patient care. We have locations all over Arizona, including in Glendale, Phoenix, and Scottsdale—find your nearest location today and give us a call.