What problems can peripheral arterial disease cause?

Pain in the leg muscles that occurs when walking and is relived with rest (intermittent claudication) is a common problem in patients with peripheral arterial disease. This can be especially problematic when walking uphill and for some patients can significantly limit their mobility. In more advanced cases patients can experience pain when resting and particularly at night, ulcers and gangrene. If not appropriately treated to restore blood flow to the leg, a proportion of patients will go onto require amputation of the leg. Patients with uncontrolled diabetes, those on dialysis and active smokers are at highest risk. Early identification of patients at risk is essential to avoid these devastating complications.