Peripheral Vascular Disease

Cardiovascular Services Physicians Tackle Peripheral Vascular Disease
10 Million Americans Suffer From This Little-Known Condition

 

The peripheral vascular lab is an important part of the OSF Saint Anthony Cardiovascular Services. Established in 1993, the lab is the first in Rockford to treat peripheral vascular disease using a multidisciplinary approach. It is one of the premiere centers of its kind in the country.

Robert L. Minor Jr., MD, is a member of Rockford Cardiovascular Associates. Peripheral vascular disease, PVD, affects about 10 million people in the United States. It is caused by atherosclerosis, or the hardening of the arteries that supply blood to the arms and legs. PVD is manifested by diminished blood flow which can cause pain, numbness, and eventually tissue death in the extremities. The disease often affects the legs, but can occur in the vessels that supply blood to the arms, brain and kidneys.

The most common symptom of PVD is pain in an affected limb. Other symptoms can include dull, cramping pain in hips, thighs or calf muscle, changes in skin color, impotence, infections that do not heal, as well as numbness, tingling and weakness in the affected limb. In some extreme cases, untreated PVD can lead to gangrene, which may require the amputation of a leg or a foot.

 

Treating PVD

Effective treatments for advanced PVD include angioplasty. In this procedure, a specially trained physician, usually a cardiologist, inserts a tiny balloon attached to a catheter. Using X-ray guidance, the catheter is moved to the site of the blocked artery. The balloon is inflated to open the artery. In some cases, a small metal cylinder, or stent, is left behind in the artery to keep it open. This procedure is routinely performed at the OSF Saint Anthony Peripheral Vascular Lab.

Treatments for PVD include procedures that use drugs to break up an existing blood clot or to prevent one from forming or getting bigger, surgical procedures that can open clogged arteries or vein and supportive measures to relieve symptoms associated with impaired blood flow.

Sometimes, PVD requires surgical treatment. Surgical procedures are usually performed to correct aneurysms, remove blood clots or to improve blood flow in patients who cannot undergo angioplasty. An image from an angiogram shows restricted blood flow to the lower leg of a person with severe peripheral vascular disease.

 

Peripheral Vascular Disease Risk Factors

If you have any of the following risk factors, talk to your physician about your risk and the need for a Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) screening

 

•		Cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, heart attack or stroke
•		Diabetes
•		A family history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes
•		Aching, cramping or pain in your legs when you walk or exercise that goes away when you rest
•		Feet that are numb, cold or tingling during rest
•		Pain in your toes or feet at night
•		Ulcers or sores on your feet or legs that are slow to heal
•		Past or current use of tobacco products
•		More than 25 pounds overweight
•		An inactive lifestyle

Detecting the disease is usually easy. A quick and painless exam that uses a special stethoscope to compare blood pressure in the feet and arms is often enough to diagnose PVD. Early detection and controlling risk factors are the first steps toward better health.

To learn more, call Cardiovascular Services at OSF Saint Anthony at (815) 395-5493.