Diabetic peripheral vascular disease is a condition where the arteries in the legs and/or arms narrow as a result of the buildup of fatty plaque. This fatty plaque is known as lipid deposits. Diabetic peripheral vascular disease is also known medically as a condition called atherosclerosis. In this case, when the atherosclerosis develops in the legs (and less often in the arms) it is referred to as diabetic peripheral vascular disease. People with diabetes are at a 20 times greater risk of developing diabetic peripheral vascular disease as is the general population that is not diabetic.
Along with diabetes, other risk factors for peripheral vascular disease include inactivity, smoking, advanced age (for example, it is more common after age 50), high stress levels, a history of heart disease, and high cholesterol.
What are the Symptoms of Diabetic Peripheral Vascular Disease?
The main symptom of diabetic peripheral vascular disease is intermittent claudication. This is the pain that “comes and goes” while walking, but is relieved while at rest. The pain is the result of not enough blood and oxygen reaching the exercising muscles. As the arterial blockage gets worse, the pain can come on after walking less than a block. It is the kind of pain that interferes with your daily life to the point that treatment will be needed. Another symptom of diabetic peripheral vascular disease is that your minor cuts and abrasions on your feet don’t heal. And this leads to less physical activity because of the pain, putting you in a viscous circle of more pain, and less activity because the pain can’t be tolerated. Less activity leads to more buildup in the arteries and further deterioration
The progression of the condition eventually becomes a very serious problem. Poor circulation in the legs leads to foot ulcers that won’t heal, gangrene, and even the eventual need for amputation. It can also result in infections that become so severe that can lead to death. If you are experiencing intermittent claudication, as described above, or get foot ulcers that don’t heal, please seek medical attention without delay. As stated at the beginning of the article, this is a condition that really does risk both life and limb.
How is Diabetic Peripheral Vascular Disease Treated?
Severe, limb-threatening diabetic peripheral vascular disease is sometimes treated by endovascular techniques including surgery. Bypass surgery is used sometimes, where a blood vessel from another part of the body is grafted in to bypass the blocked blood vessel to allow blood to get through. Other endovascular techniques used include percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (also referred to as balloon angioplasty), atherectomy (which is the cutting away of the plaque deposits), and the use of lasers to clear the blood vessels. In people with diabetic peripheral vascular disease, these procedures have only limited success rates, and high complication rates, so bypass surgery is usually the preferred option. Occasionally, drugs can be prescribed to slow the progression of atherosclerosis.
