Peripheral Arterial Disease Awareness and Management

If leg pain or limited mobility is slowing you down, Frederick Health’s Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Rehab Program can help you move more comfortably and confidently. This 12-week, supervised exercise program is specially designed for people with poor circulation caused by narrow or blocked arteries in the arms and legs.

Whether you're recovering from a recent procedure or just looking for relief, PAD Rehab can help you regain strength and independence—step by step.

What is Peripheral Arterial Disease?

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) is a cardiovascular disease where narrowed arteries reduce blood flow in your limbs, typically in the legs and feet. It is caused by atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque in the arteries. Peripheral Arterial Disease is a common disease that affects approximately 8-10 million people in the United States with cases expected to rise to 19 million by 2050, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Peripheral Arterial Disease is a serious condition that significantly impacts quality of life. Daily activities like walking, climbing stairs, and standing for long periods can become difficult. In some cases, it can lead to severe complications and an increased risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke. If left untreated, it can cause limb amputation and even death.

Symptoms of Peripheral Arterial Disease

Intermittent Claudication is a common symptom of Peripheral Arterial Disease where patients experience pain, aching, heaviness, or cramping in their legs, typically the calf, while walking or climbing, which typically goes away after rest within 10 minutes. This symptom only shows in about 10-35% of patients with Peripheral Artery Disease, with up to 50% of patients experiencing no symptoms at all.

Who is at risk?

Smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are all major risk factors for Peripheral Artery Disease. Certain lifestyle factors can also increase the risk of Peripheral Artery Disease including sedentary, obesity, and a diet high in saturated fats.

Peripheral Artery Disease becomes significantly more common as people age with the highest prevalence among African American men followed by Hispanic and African American women. In the United States, there are over 150,000 amputations annually because of Peripheral Artery Disease, with amputation rates higher among men than women. Despite the seriousness of this disease, there is low awareness of what it is and the symptoms. In fact, in a national survey, out of 2500 men and women only 14% knew Peripheral Artery Disease can lead to amputations and only 25% knew the disease is associated with a higher risk of heart attacks and stroke.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis for Peripheral Artery Disease will include discussions with your doctor surrounding medical history and symptoms. An ankle brachial index (ABI) is your best initial test, comparing blood pressure in your ankles to the blood pressure in your arms. Ultrasounds, CT scans, and MRI’s can also be performed to visualize the arteries and identify blockage.

Managing Peripheral Arterial Disease

While there is no cure for this disease, you can learn how to manage it. After diagnosis, management of Peripheral Artery Disease includes lifestyle changes to help reduce cardiovascular risk such as stopping smoking, controlling diabetes, and taking certain medications. Management options such as structured exercise therapy and revascularization surgeries, a procedure to help restore blood flow to your limbs, can help patients manage their symptoms better.

Structured exercise therapy is a core component in managing Peripheral Artery Disease. It’s designed to help patients with pain or limited mobility return to daily activities by improving mobility, strength, and circulation to reduce leg discomfort.

To qualify for structured exercise therapy, you must be referred to by a vascular physician and include documentation of a face-to-face visit. This type of treatment is available to patients with a diagnosis of Peripheral Arterial Disease and are experiencing leg pain when walking or for those who undergo an arterial revascularization procedure.

These structed programs are completed over 12 weeks or 36 sessions with each session lasting 30-60 minutes. Most of the exercises will be done on a treadmill as it’s the most effective intervention for helping patients walk pain free.

During the first session, patients will initially complete a Graded Exercise Treadmill Test that measures the time patients start walking to when patients must stop walking due to the severity of the symptoms.

The goal is for patients with PAD to learn how to effectively utilize exercise to manage their symptoms and help patients walk further with less leg pain and cramping and ultimately build up to 60 minutes of steady activity.

Frederick Health has introduced the Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Rehabilitation Program, the only structured exercise therapy program of its kind in Frederick County, covered by Medicare and most insurances. This 12-week supervised exercise program is designed for people who are experiencing symptoms of the disease or have recently undergone revascularization procedures. The program is currently accepting new patients for enrollment.

See a provider if you are experiencing symptoms or think Peripheral Artery Disease rehabilitation would benefit you! If you have questions about the Peripheral Artery Disease program, visit our Cardiac Rehab page or ask a team member by calling 240-566-3229.