Blockage of arteries of the legs and arms: treatment

Blockage of leg arteries is the result of poor circulation of blood in the arteries of the legs. There is an aching, tired, and sometimes burning pain in the legs that is heightened by exercise, and relieved by rest. Claudication refers to the limping that occurs from leg cramps. Claudication can occur in both legs and it often worsens over time. Some patients with blockage of the arteries complain only of a weakness in the legs when they walk, or a feeling of being tired in the buttocks. Impotence is a complaint that men have. Pain while resting is uncommon.

When an artery between the chest and a hand becomes blocked the arm or hand does not receive enough blood or oxygen. The condition called arm artery disease may be present. Arteries carry blood rich in oxygen and nutrients from your heart to the rest of your body.

Arm artery disease is uncommon. Mos Most people with arm artery disease have blocked leg arteries. Although arm artery disease can come on quickly it usually starts slowly and gets worse over a long period of time. You may not notice symptoms at all if you have mild arm artery disease. But as the disease advances, you may experience pain in the arm with activity.

The first symptom of leg artery disease is pain. The pain usually occurs in the large muscles in one or both legs during exercise. Some people with leg artery disease feel a tightness or heaviness in the leg, while others may feel cramping or weakness in the leg.

With arm artery disease you may not feel any symptoms at all. The most common first symptom of arm artery disease is intermittent cluadication - the pain that you feel when you are using your arm and that goes away when the activity stops. Other symptoms of arm artery disease are pain in the fingers, sensitivity to cold in your hands, fingers that are pale or blue, and not having a pulse in your wrist or hand.

Leg artery disease that is detected at an early stage can be treated with a change to a healthy lifestyle. These changes include exercise, maintaining the optimum weight for your body type, controlling blood sugar, lowering your blood pressure, and keeping a healthy cholesterol level. The few suggestions may deter a leg artery disease to occur in the first place.

Medication is another form of treatment. There are medications that help to control blood pressure and cholesterol which are risk factors for leg artery disease. However, is some cases, these healthy lifestyle changes and medication still are unable to control the leg artery disease.

There are other forms of treatment for more severe cases of leg artery disease such as surgery.

Angioplasty - a procedure used to widen vessels
Surgical bypass graft - direct reconstruction of the circulation
Sympathectomy - during this procedure, a physician severs the nerves near the arterial blockage to remove the source of pain.
Amputation - when all treatments fail and the person's circulation is so severely poor that leg tissue has become gangrenous (In approximately 90 percent of the cases, however, amputation can be avoided or limited to the toes.)

Treatment for arm artery disease will depend on the cause, location and severity of the blockage. Different types of treatment are:

Medication to control high blood pressure
Sympathetic block - blocks certain nerves in the hands.
Angioplasty - a procedure to widen vessels
Bypass - called endarterectomy, is a way for your surgeon to remove the plaque from your artery

The best choice of the treatment depends on the pattern and how much blockage you have. Your doctor will help you determine which method of treatment is best for your particular situation.

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Categories: Heart Health,

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