Peripheral Arterial Disease
Medical Considerations for Peripheral Arterial Disease
In the presence of PAD, conditions such as ingrown toenails, hammer toes, blisters, bunions and any skin lesions can become more serious. Because PAD inhibits blood flow, healing is compromised. This may lead to tissue damage or even tissue death, which increases the risk of amputation.
PAD often accompanies diabetes. The American Diabetes Association estimates that one-third of people with diabetes over the age of 50 also have PAD, and a recent study found that 50% of people with diabetic foot ulcers also had PAD.
If you have PAD and neuropathy (nerve damage) from diabetes or another cause, the numbness and loss of feeling make it more difficult to tell when an injury occurs, sometimes delaying treatment. With wound healing already impaired by PAD, a seemingly innocent scrape, cut or blister may escalate to a difficult infection that could need medical and/or surgical care to cure.
Reviewed by: W. Stuart Tucker, Jr., MD, IPFH Scientific Advisory Board
Last updated: May 29, 2015
On the Web:
NIH/NLM Medline Plus: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000170.htm
National Library of Medicine PubMed Health: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0062981/
American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons: http://www.foothealthfacts.org/footankleinfo/PAD.htm