Blood Circulation in Legs Disorder

Peripheral artery disease is a disorder that decreases blood circulation in the legs and can result in injuries to nerves and other leg tissues. This condition may be treated with medications or surgery.

Causes

• According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, peripheral artery disease is caused by a narrowing and hardening of a patient's arteries from plaque buildup called arteriosclerosis.

Risk Factors

• Peripheral artery disease is common in men over 50 years old, and this disorder is more likely to develop in people with high blood pressure, diabetes or abnormal blood levels of cholesterol.

Symptoms

• Patients with peripheral artery disease may experience fatigue, pain or other feelings of discomfort in their thigh, calf or foot muscles.

Tests

• A doctor may use tests such as an angiography of the leg arteries, a Doppler ultrasound examination of a leg or an ankle brachial index test that compares blood pressure in the legs and arms to diagnose peripheral artery disease.

Medications

• Physicians may prescribe aspirin or clopidogrel to prevent blood clot formation in the arteries. Patients with peripheral artery disease may take cilostazol to dilate arteries or other medications to relieve pain and reduce blood cholesterol levels.

Surgery

• Severe cases of peripheral artery disease may require artery bypass surgery in a leg or an angioplasty and stent placement in an affected leg artery.