Learn the Connections Between Kidney Disease and PAD

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a difficult but manageable condition with proper treatment.

But did you know it is connected to other health risks, such as peripheral arteryArteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to your heart and other parts of your body. disease (PAD)?

PAD occurs when plaque, like calcium, builds up along blood vessel walls, narrowing the arteries and reducing blood flow to the legs and feet. The disease is widespread and can be life threatening.¹

If you have CKD, it’s important to ask your doctor about PAD. The disease is an often overlooked and under-diagnosed condition in patients with CKD.⁴⁶ Researchers estimate that up to 37% of people with CKD also have PAD.⁴⁶

Both diseases are connected to your body’s blood flow. Kidneys help regulate your blood in several ways, and they are sensitive to decreased blood flow.

When you have CKD, your kidneys don’t filter your blood as well as they should, and the levels of minerals, such as calcium, can become unbalanced.³⁹

PAD, which can include calcium, occurs when blood does not flow well to your legs and feet due to the narrowing of your arteries. Calcium build up in your arteries can put you at risk of developing the worst form of PAD — critical limb ischemia (CLI).⁴

Chronic kidney disease also can lead to an increased risk of PAD-related amputation, which can have a significant impact on your quality of life.²⁵ It also can put your life at risk, and kidney disease can increase that risk.²

There is good news. Like CKD, there are treatment options for PAD. So, if you’ve been diagnosed with kidney disease and you are concerned about PAD, talk with your nephrologist or other health care professional. Only a doctor can diagnose you with PAD and determine the appropriate treatment.

Take our symptom quiz to help guide the conversation about your treatment options.

• Symptoms of PAD
• Cold toes or feet
• Dry, discolored skin
• Pain while walking
• Nighttime leg pain
• Painful, heavy legs
• Numbness or burning sensations
• Wounds that won’t heal