Achy legs? Could be serious

Trouble walking is not a normal part of aging, and according to doctors at Georgetown University Hospital there is a major push for more patients to get checked for PAD, or peripheral artery disease. PAD is a little-known but surprisingly common disease that causes arteries in the legs to stiffen and narrow, eventually cutting off the blood flow altogether. Ulcers, infection, and even gangrene with the possibility of amputation are the unfortunate end stages of the disease. 12 million Americans deal with PAD every year, and although anybody can get it, diabetics, African Americans, and the elderly (over 70yrs old) are at the highest risk. Other risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, and heart disease.

On the upside, PAD is extremely easy to for your doctor to check for at your appointments -- simply feeling the pulse in your ankle and comparing arm and leg blood pressures is an accurate way of evaluating the possibility of PAD. Treatments, however, are not so simple. Many studies are underway on the most effective treatments for both early-stage and late-stage PAD, varying from special leg exercises to medications to surgery. There is even a success story in the article of a man who had successful implantation of the latest type of artificial artery.

So next time you have an MD appt, or sooner if you feel you're at higher risk, ask about getting checked for PAD. It won't take long!