PAD is a disease that gets worse over time. You may not have symptoms until the disease gets much worse. Over time, PAD may lead to:
This is the most common symptom of PAD. Claudication is pain that occurs in the thigh, hip, calf, or foot. It may happen when you walk, use stairs, or workout. You may have cramping or limping. You may also feel heavy, weak, or tired. Symptoms often begin after walking a certain distance, such as a block or two, and end after you rest for the same amount of time.
You may also have:
Plaque Blocking an ArteryCopyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc. |
In people who have symptoms, PAD may cause:
PAD can lead to severe problems, such as:
Hills AJ, Shalhoub J, et al. Peripheral arterial disease. Br J Hosp Med (Lond). 2009;70(10):560-565.
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) of lower extremities. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T114200/Peripheral-arterial-disease-PAD-of-lower-extremities . Updated August 23, 2018. Accessed August 29, 2018.
Symptoms and diagnosis of PAD. American Heart Association website. Available at:
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Updated October 31, 2016. Accessed August 30, 2018.
Last reviewed May 2018 by
EBSCO Medical Review Board
Daniel A. Ostrovsky, MD
Last Updated: 8/29/2018