Living With Peripheral Arterial Disease

If you have peripheral arterial disease (P.A.D.), you’re also more likely to have coronary artery disease (CAD), heart attack, stroke, and transient ischemic attack (TIA, or "mini-stroke"). However, you can take steps to treat and control P.A.D. and lower your risk for these other conditions.

Living With Peripheral Arterial Disease Symptoms

If you have P.A.D., you may feel pain in your calf or thigh muscles after walking. Try to take a break and allow the pain to ease before walking again. Over time, this may increase the distance that you can walk without pain.

Talk with your doctor about taking part in a supervised exercise program. This type of program has been shown to reduce P.A.D. symptoms.

Check your feet and toes regularly for sores or possible infections. Wear comfortable shoes that fit well. Maintain good foot hygiene and have professional medical treatment for corns, bunions, or calluses.

Ongoing Health Care Needs and Lifestyle Changes

See your doctor for checkups as he or she advises. If you have P.A.D., but don’t have symptoms, you should still see your doctor regularly. Take all medicines as your doctor prescribes.

Lifestyle changes can help prevent or delay P.A.D. and other related problems, such as CAD, heart attack, stroke, and TIA. Lifestyle changes include quitting smoking, controlling risk factors, getting regular physical activity, and following a healthy eating plan. For more information on lifestyle changes, see "How Can Peripheral Arterial Disease Be Prevented?"