Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a form of atherosclerosis, which means your arteries have narrowed due to plaque buildup. This buildup causes blockages that may lead to leg pain, weakness and fatigue.
Your provider may recommend different treatment options depending on the severity of your symptoms and the results you want. In some cases, heart-healthy lifestyle changes, like changes in diet, exercise and quitting smoking may be enough to relieve minor symptoms.
If these options do not work, a vein specialist can treat peripheral artery disease in their suite with certain procedures including:
Catheter directed thrombolysis
Peripheral artery disease can be treated from inside by inserting a catheter into the artery through a tiny incision in the skin. Your doctor would then administer a medicine inside of the artery to dissolve the blood clot.
Arterial surgery
Your provider may recommend many different options for arterial surgery. Angioplasty is where a small mesh tube called a stent is placed in the artery to keep it open and let more blood through. The provider may also remove some of the plaque using an atherectomy procedure. In other cases, the provider will send blood around the blockage using bypass surgery.
Treatment is based on your signs and symptoms, risk factors and the results of physical exams and tests.
If you have been diagnosed, regular appointments with your provider can help treat the disease. Treatment may slow or stop disease progress and reduce the risk of complications, including heart attack and stroke.
