Left untreated, PAD can lead to amputation
You may have options beyond amputation
AmputationTo surgically remove all or part of a limb (leg, foot or toe) is among the most severe ways peripheral artery diseasePeripheral artery disease (PAD) is a disease in which plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to your head, organs, and limbs. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, fibrous tissue, and other substances in the blood. (PADPeripheral Artery Disease, a potentially life threatening disease where plaque, like calcium, builds up along blood vessel walls, narrowing the arteries and reducing blood flow to the legs and feet.) can affect the quality of your life. And having an amputation is linked to putting your life at risk.25
Yet amputation is a common treatment for the most advanced stage of PAD.9 It is often recommended before additional tests are performed that could indicate you are a candidate for alternative treatments.16
Medical treatments to help restore blood flow to your legs can help save legs and feet and have been shown to offer advantages when compared to amputation.17
If you think you or a loved one might have advanced PAD, usually called CLI (critical limb ischemiaAlso potentially known as CLI, the most severe and deadly form of peripheral artery disease.), and you’re concerned about amputation, talk to your health care provider. Ask if he or she is a limb salvage specialist and is familiar with treatment options for advanced PAD and CLI, other than amputation.20
When PAD is detected early some treatment options could include long-lasting lifestyle changes,34 prescription medications8 or minimally invasiveIn minimally invasive surgery, surgeons use a variety of techniques to operate with less injury to the body than with open surgery. In general, it is safer than open surgery and allows you to recover faster and heal with less pain and scarring. medical procedures.20 If your doctor is not aware of all the different possibilities, you might want to talk to a PAD specialist.33
Not all health care professionals are PAD specialists. Get a second opinion if a doctor has told you that you need an amputation. Download and complete our checklist and click here to find a PAD specialist in your area.
Steve can handle pain — just not like this
He’s been living with diabetes(Diabetes mellitus) is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. for years, and he knows his kidneys aren’t in great shape. But lately his biggest concern is the pain in his leg. It’s almost too much to take.
Steve won’t be able to tough it out this time — he’s suffering from peripheral arteryArteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to your heart and other parts of your body. disease (PAD). His discomfort is the result of narrowed and hardened arteriesArteries are blood vessels that carry blood to your heart and other parts of your body., limiting blood flow to his legs and feet and causing intense pain.
If left untreated, things can get rapidly worse. People with diabetes who have PAD may be at a higher risk for an amputation when combined with other serious symptoms, and they’re lives might also be at greater risk.12
Time is not on Steve’s side, but he’s no stranger to a challenge. He has decided to talk to his doctor about his treatment options and get appropriate treatment through his health care provider.
Does this sound familiar? If you have diabetes and you’re experiencing leg pain, don’t wait. Learn more about other symptoms of PAD and share your concerns with a health care professional.
Steve is not an actual patient. His story is intended to represent part of the population with PAD. Symptoms, treatment options and outcomes may vary.
Talk to Your Doctor
Only a health care professional can diagnose you with PAD. Our Symptom Quiz can help guide the conversation about your treatment options.
Take the Symptom Quiz
Click below to take the interactive Symptom Quiz. You can print your answers out and take them with you to a doctor to help guide your conversation about PAD.
Stop ignoring the signs. Talk to a PAD specialist. Take control of your health.