What Is Peripheral Vascular Disease?
Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a blood circulation disorder that causes the blood vessels outside of your heart and brain to narrow, block, or spasm. This can happen in your arteries or veins. PVD typically causes pain and fatigue, often in your legs, and especially during exercise. The pain usually improves with rest.
It can also affect the vessels that supply blood and oxygen to you:
- Arms
- Stomach and intestines
- Kidneys
In PVD, blood vessels become narrowed and blood flow decreases. This can be due to arteriosclerosis, or “hardening of the arteries,” or it can be caused by blood vessel spasms. In arteriosclerosis, plaques build up in a vessel and limit the flow of blood and oxygen to your organs and limbs.
As plaque growth progresses, clots may develop and completely block the artery. This can lead to organ damage and loss of fingers, toes, or limbs if left untreated.
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) develops only in the arteries, which carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart. According to the CDC, approximately 12 to 20 percent of people over age 60 develop PAD, about 8.5 million people trusted Source in the United States. PAD is the most common form of PVD, so the terms are often used to mean the same condition.
- PVD is also known as:
- Arteriosclerosis obliterans
- Arterial insufficiency of the legs
- Claudication
- Intermittent claudication
What Are The Types of PVD?
Functional PVD
- Emotional stress
- Cold temperatures
- Operating vibrating machinery or tools
- Drugs
Organic PVD
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
