Kidney disease can make PAD worse

The kidneys are extremely sensitive to any decrease in blood flow, and some people can develop kidney diseaseA disease that impairs the kidneys’ ability to filter waste products and extra water from the blood. as a result of hardening arteriesArteries are blood vessels that carry blood to your heart and other parts of your body., also called atherosclerosisAtherosclerosis is a disease in which plaque builds up inside your arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to your heart and other parts of your body.. This hardening of the arteries can also affect your legs, feet and toes. That means that individuals with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) are at a greater risk of developing 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.).

• Researchers estimate that 24% to 37% of patients with CKD also have PAD.⁴⁴
• 26 million American adults have Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and millions of others are at increased risk of the disease.⁴⁵
• PAD is an often overlooked and under-diagnosed condition in patients with CKD.^44,46