Archives: December 2022
Diabetes as a Risk Factor for PAD
When we talk about peripheral artery disease or PAD, we often focus on one of the most common causes of atherosclerosis, cholesterol. After all, excess fat in the bloodstream caused by high blood cholesterol is why plaque begins to form on the walls of the arteries. However, focusing only on cholesterol misses other serious concerns that may increase the risk of PAD, including type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes. Diabetes is a significant concern in the United States and worldwide. In fact, according to the WHO, the incidence of diabetes worldwide almost quadrupled between 1980 and 2014.
Treadmill Testing for Peripheral Artery Disease PAD
If you’ve been following our blog, you know there is much to learn about peripheral artery disease or PAD. The condition is insidious in that its symptoms are not always obvious. When they do become apparent, a patient may have already progressed to a more severe stage requiring significant intervention and ultimately leading to a higher potential for disability.
When we talk about PAD, we usually discuss its detection and treatment. This makes sense because it is estimated that two out of every three PAD patients don’t know they have it. Getting the word out and educating patients about their risks is essential.
However, once we have started treating PAD, many patients rightly want to understand more about how the treatment is going and whether it has been successful. There are a couple of ways to do that.