People who are at risk for peripheral artery disease (PAD) may not always know it. PAD symptoms are often subtle and easy to miss, but they’re also vital signs that you need to see a doctor right away. Some people might think the symptoms are part of getting older or write them off due to other health conditions. In Plano, Texas, facilities offer PAD treatments, and approaching them can be a great idea. These Plano peripheral artery disease specialists will guide every aspect of the medical problem. This article takes you through the main risk factors for peripheral artery disease.
Which Are the Risk Factors?
Here is a list of the common risk factors for PAD:
A Family History of High Cholesterol
It is also possible for you to develop peripheral artery disease if one of your parents had the condition in their 50s. This means that early examination and treatment are crucial to reduce your risk level and prevent PAD from progressing. If you have a family history of this medical problem, talk with your doctor about what you can do to monitor yourself and start treatments as soon as possible.
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
People who don’t produce enough insulin may develop PAD over time due to stress put on the arteries from chemical factors related to the condition. If you already have diabetes, controlling the blood glucose levels and maintaining a healthy lifestyle will help prevent PAD from developing.
Smoking
One of the primary risk factors for peripheral artery disease is smoking cigarettes. Cigarette smoke puts stress on your arteries by narrowing them and making them more rigid, which means it can lead to atherosclerosis or plaque buildup over time. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do to reduce your chances of getting PAD in the future.
High Systolic Blood Pressure
High blood pressure could be a key factor for this health condition because it further stresses your artery walls. If you have high blood pressure, ask your doctor about bringing these levels down by adjusting your diet and exercising more.
Obesity
Being overweight is a risk for developing peripheral artery disease because it puts extra pressure on your arteries and causes inflammation that leads to atherosclerosis over time. By eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise, you can help prevent PAD from continuing.
Sedentary Lifestyle
Research has linked people who don’t get enough physical activity to the development of PAD. Suppose this sounds like you; look into starting an exercise routine to reduce your chances of developing the condition in the future. This is why your specialist will guide you on the right physical exercises to embrace. It will be an effective way of getting rid of the excess calories in the body.
If you’re at risk for PAD, there are several ways to reduce your chances of getting the condition. The main factors that put people with this medical problem at high risk include smoking cigarettes or being overweight or obese. If these sound like they apply to you, talk to your doctor about how to help prevent it from developing by eating healthy and exercising more often.
