Learning that you or a loved one has a serious disease can be frightening and anxiety-inducing. If you’ve recently discovered that you have peripheral artery disease (PAD)—a condition characterized by decreased blood flow to the lower extremities due to plaque buildup—many questions can arise.

PAD affects over eight million people in the United States and can significantly impact mobility, increasing the risk of amputation, stroke, or heart attack.¹ 

In this article, we’ll explore treatments and lifestyle modifications that may help extend an individual’s life expectancy after a PAD diagnosis.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION ONLINE 

What is PAD?

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a vascular disorder that primarily impacts the lower extremities. When plaque builds up in the arteries, your arteries begin to narrow. This restricts the flow of nutrients, oxygen, and blood to the legs. This accumulation of plaque is caused by numerous factors, including an excess of cholesterol and fat deposits in the body.

If the arteries leading to the legs have narrowed because of plaque, it is highly likely that arteries elsewhere in the body, such as those leading to the brain and heart, are also affected. This puts people with PAD at higher risk of developing life-threatening conditions in the years after diagnosis.

PAD is a progressive disorder that can get worse over time without treatment. Individuals who experience PAD symptoms should seek a professional medical diagnosis from a vascular doctor. It’s important to receive treatment recommendations that may help improve the life expectancy of a person with PAD.

What is The Life Expectancy of a Person with PAD?

Life expectancy varies depending on the severity of the peripheral artery disease prognosis. Patients with untreated PAD are at higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and other life-threatening complications.

Patients who do not receive treatment early on are also more susceptible to developing end-stage PAD or needing amputation. The life expectancy for 60% of PAD patients who undergo amputation may be significantly shortened depending on factors such as age, overall health, and type of amputation.² 

Proper treatment during the early stages may help extend life expectancy and alleviate the pain associated with related symptoms. This is why a PAD diagnosis from a vascular doctor can be helpful. When you catch PAD in the first or second stage, there are several PAD treatments you can consider that can help extend PAD life expectancy. 

How Often Does PAD Lead to Amputation?

It is estimated that 51–93% of all lower limb major amputations may be a direct result of PAD.³  PAD increases the risk of amputation, especially if it progresses to a severe stage called limb ischemia.

Acute limb ischemia often causes tissue death or gangrene, which then requires amputation as a life-saving measure. Amputation for PAD is often a last resort, and it can be associated with a decrease in life expectancy. This is likely due to the severity of the underlying PAD and other health conditions present.⁴

While amputations are now less common overall in the United States than they once were, the number of amputations necessitated by PAD has stayed the same or even increased for some populations.⁴ Amputation can often be avoided with lifestyle modifications and PAD treatment. 

CALL US NOW TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT

Challenges in Managing PAD

It’s expected that around 20-50% of patients with PAD are asymptomatic, which means many patients with PAD don’t notice the warning signs of the disease until there are blockages in the arteries.⁵  This can make catching PAD in the early stages more challenging. 

Some common PAD symptoms to be aware of include:

• Leg pain
• Leg discoloration
• Hair loss
• Poor circulation
• Leg numbness 
• Tingling or weakness 

Patients at the highest risk of developing PAD are smokers and diabetics. Other common PAD risk factors include obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

If you’re experiencing any of these common symptoms of PAD, consider scheduling an appointment with a vascular specialist. A vascular specialist will run the necessary tests needed to diagnose PAD and provide a personalized treatment plan for your condition. 

Diagnosing PAD

The interventional radiologists at USA Vascular Centers diagnose PAD in two ways: by conducting an ankle-brachial index (ABI) test and an angiogram. During an ABI test, the doctor measures the blood pressure in the legs and arms and compares the two numbers. An angiogram is a minimally invasive procedure in which the physician injects contrast dye into the vascular system and uses X-ray imaging to identify blockages.

How is PAD Treated?

Depending on the severity of your condition, a vascular doctor may recommend specific lifestyle modifications, medications, or a minimally invasive treatment. 

Knowing the warning signs and risk factors of PAD ensures you receive the best possible treatment plan for your condition. Some lifestyle modifications a vascular doctor may recommend are:

• Quitting smoking
• Lowering cholesterol levels
• Exercising regularly
• Prioritizing a well-balanced diet 
• Managing stress and anxiety

PAD can be treated with minimally invasive procedures that remove or compress plaque in artery walls. At USA Vascular Centers, our vascular doctors offer the following non-surgical procedures: 

• Angioplasty: In an angioplasty, the doctor will guide a small, balloon-tipped catheter into the vascular system and inflate the balloon at blockage points. This compresses the plaque against the artery walls, allowing blood to flow more freely. 
• Stent Placement: A stent placement is similar but with the added step of placing a mesh stent inside the blocked area. 
• Atherectomy: An atherectomy involves safely removing plaque from the body using a laser or tiny blade.

Schedule a Consultation with USA Vascular Centers

The life expectancy of a person with PAD significantly depends on timely treatment and effective management. If you have any concerns about PAD, we encourage you to visit us at USA Vascular Centers. Call us today at 888.773.2193 or schedule a consultation online.

FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does peripheral artery disease last?

PAD is not reversible. However, there are treatments and medications you can take advantage of to help alleviate the symptoms and reduce risk factors. 

Sources Cited:

1. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Peripheral arterial disease. PAD | MedlinePlus. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, National Institutes of Health, & National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (n.d.). Facts about Peripheral Arterial Disease (P.A.D.). 
2. In National Institutes of Health. Certified Foot And Ankle Specialists. (2023, August 22). Peripheral arterial disease can be treated with proper diagnosis. Certified Foot & Ankle Specialists. 
3. Abry, L., Weiss, S., Makaloski, V., Haynes, A. G., Schmidli, J., & Wyss, T. R. (2022). Peripheral artery disease leading to major amputation: Trends in revascularization and mortality over 18 years. Annals of Vascular Surgery, 78, 295–301. 
4. Barnes, J. A., Eid, M. A., Creager, M. A., & Goodney, P. P. (2020). Epidemiology and risk of amputation in patients with diabetes mellitus and peripheral artery disease. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 40(8), 1808–1817. 
5. McDermott, M. M., Guralnik, J. M., Ferrucci, L., Tian, L., Liu, K., Liao, Y., Green, D., Sufit, R., Hoff, F., Nishida, T., Sharma, L., Pearce, W. H., Schneider, J. R., & Criqui, M. H. (2008). Asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease is associated with more adverse lower extremity characteristics than intermittent claudication. Circulation, 117(19), 2484–2491.