Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) care

You don’t have to live with the pain or inconvenience of peripheral vascular disease (PVD). Rely on the Tyler Heart Institute's cardiovascular team to diagnose your condition and provide treatments that make you healthier and more comfortable.

周围性血管疾病是什么?

PVD is a common condition that affects your circulation (blood flow). It happens when blood vessels outside the heart and brain are damaged, narrowed, or clogged. It’s usually caused by atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque (fat) in arteries and veins.

When PVD happens in the arms, abdomen, and legs, it’s called peripheral artery disease (PAD).

PVD的症状

Because blood flow to the limbs (arms and legs) is blocked, PVD can cause:

• Leg, hip, or foot pain, especially while walking, or cramping during exercise
• Numbness or tingling, heaviness, or weakness of the legs and feet
• 一小块没有治愈伤口 or gangrene (dead tissue)
• Skin changes, paleness, or hair loss

Sometimes, PVD doesn’t cause any symptoms.

PVD危险因素

You’re more likely to develop PVD if you:

• 50岁或以上
• Are overweight or obese
• 不锻炼
• Have a family history of cardiovascular disease
• Have 糖尿病, heart disease, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol
• 烟

如何诊断PVD

和你的朋友谈谈。 doctor if you have symptoms of PVD, are older than 50, and have other risk factors. Early diagnosis makes treatment more effective and helps prevent future health problems, including 心脏病 or 中风.

Your doctor will perform a physical exam. To check for PVD, you may have certain 诊断测试，例如:

• 血管造影
• 血液测试
• 压力测试
• 血管测试，例如 an ankle-brachial index (ABI) test and Doppler ultrasound of the blood vessel that may be narrowed or blocked

Vascular disease treatment

Expect a care plan personalized to you, so it’s as effective as possible. Depending on your symptoms and other factors, your plan may include:

• 生活方式的改变，例如 营养 and exercise counseling or 帮助戒烟, to prevent worsening of symptoms and complications
• Blood 薄ning medications (blood 薄ners)
• Management of other health conditions you may have，例如 糖尿病, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, that may make PVD worse
• Peripheral artery disease (PAD) rehabilitation

周围性血管疾病过程

If you and your cardiologist determine a 过程 is the best choice for your condition, rest assured you’re in good hands. 在可能的情况下, we’ll perform your treatment using minimally invasive techniques, 所以你有一个更快, smoother recovery than traditional surgery.

你可能有:

• 血管成形术 – Inserts a tiny balloon into a narrowed blood vessel to open it and restore blood flow
• Bypass graft – Creates a detour (bypass) around a blocked artery
• Thrombectomy – Removes a blood clot and improves blood flow
• Thrombolysis – Delivers clot-dissolving medication through a catheter (薄 tube) to directly treat dangerous blood clots
• Vascular stent – Places a tiny metal coil in a narrowed blood vessel to reinforce a weak area and prevent it from closing

Specialized setting for care

Some 过程s may take place in our Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. 如果你有 cardiac catheterization 治疗PVD的程序, an interventional radiologist will use a catheter (long, 薄, flexible tube) guided by imaging technology to treat a blockage.