PAD — the plain-language one-pager.

What is Peripheral Artery Disease?Diagnosis

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is atherosclerosis in the arteries that supply your legs and feet. The same plaque biology that causes heart attacks and strokes narrows the leg arteries — and the symptoms tell a story most people miss for years. PAD is the body's loudest signal that you have systemic atherosclerosis: people with PAD have a 2-3x higher risk of heart attack and stroke than the general population.

• The classic symptom — claudication: pain, cramping, or tightness in the calf, thigh, or buttock when you walk a predictable distance, that goes away with rest. Many people dismiss it as aging — it is not.
• Critical limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) — the late, dangerous stage: rest pain (especially at night), non-healing foot wounds, gangrene, and risk of amputation. CLTI is a vascular emergency.
• Diagnosis — Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) ≤ 0.9 confirms PAD. ≤ 0.4 is severe. Duplex ultrasound, CT angiography, or MR angiography map the disease.
• The treatment is the program — supervised exercise therapy (the highest-leverage intervention in PAD), high-intensity statin, antiplatelet (often a P2Y12 like clopidogrel), low-dose rivaroxaban for ischemic-event reduction, BP control, A1C control, smoking cessation. Endovascular (peripheral stenting) or surgical bypass when symptoms or limb threat warrant.

PAD is your wake-up call for systemic atherosclerosisKnow your plan

A diagnosis of PAD changes the calculus on your heart and brain at the same time. The same plaque is in your coronary and cerebral arteries — and the modifiable-risk hierarchy that protects your legs protects your heart and brain too.

• Stop tobacco — single biggest behavior win in PAD. Quitting at any age slows progression and reduces amputation risk dramatically.
• Supervised exercise therapy — pain-to-pause-to-walk-again training; supervised programs are covered by Medicare and many insurers. Doubles walking distance over 3 months.
• High-intensity statin + antiplatelet — protects all vascular beds at once.
• Foot care — daily foot inspection, well-fitting shoes, podiatry follow-up, no walking barefoot. A single ulcer can become an amputation.
• BP and A1C control — same numbers as for prevention of heart attack and stroke.

Your daily Force FieldLive It

• Walk daily — supervised exercise therapy if available. Walk to mild-to-moderate claudication, rest, walk again. 30+ minutes most days. Improves both walking distance and heart-disease risk.
• Take your daily meds — statin, antiplatelet (or low-dose rivaroxaban + aspirin in some patients), BP meds. Missing doses raises both leg and heart events.
• Daily foot inspection — top, bottom, between toes. Use a mirror or ask a partner. Any wound that is not healing in days is urgent — call podiatry or vascular.
• Well-fitting shoes, no barefoot at home, treat fungal infections promptly, professional toenail care if needed.
• No tobacco, no vaping — quitting at any age is the single most powerful PAD intervention.
• BP <130/80, A1C <7% if diabetic — same targets that protect your heart and brain.
• Mediterranean / DASH eating, healthy weight, manage stress.
• Tell every clinician about your PAD — affects medication choices and procedure planning.

Red flags — call nowAction

• Call your clinic the same day for: new chest discomfort with exertion that goes away with rest (stable claudication worth evaluating); a missed dose of antiplatelet or statin; medication side effects (muscle aches, bleeding, GI symptoms).
• Bring up at next visit: any change in exercise tolerance, lipid follow-up timing, BP log review, smoking-cessation support, depression screening, sleep concerns.