Medication Management: Medications can be used alone or in combination with one of the treatments. While medications do not eliminate the narrowing of arteries, they can help improve the efficiency of the heart and reduce symptoms such as chest pain, leg pain/claudication, and high blood pressure (hypertension). Some medications may be used to thin the blood.
Physical therapy and Exercise: This therapy is useful for treating and preventing conditions such as claudication and thoracic outlet syndrome. Your doctor or physical therapist will prescribe an exercise plan for you based on your condition and symptoms.
Aneurysm repair: An aneurysm is a widened and weakened area of a blood vessel. Over time that area can get bigger and rupture. Aneurysms are repaired or replaced with synthetic grafts or your own veins to bypass the widened or weakened area.. Aneurysm repairs can be done either surgically (cutting into the skin) or by using special catheters, stents and grafts.
Bypass Surgery: Peripheral bypass surgery uses either a synthetic graft material or harvested veins to provide blood flow around diseased areas in the lower extremities.
Endarterectomy: This is a surgical procedure that removes plaque from the artery. The artery may be closed using a patch of your own vein or synthetic material.
Angioplasty: A special dye injected into the arteries under local anesthetic and x-rays are taken. The dye shows up on the x-rays, revealing the arteries and the presence of any narrowing or blockages. Next, a wire is inserted inside the guiding catheter into the artery and through the area of the narrowing or blockage. A catheter with a deflated “balloon” on its tip is then guided over the wire and positioned within the blocked artery. Once the balloon catheter is in place, the balloon is inflated to compress the fatty material called plaque, which is creating the blockage, against the walls of the artery. Once the artery is open with the balloon catheter, a tiny, flexible, stainless steel tube called a stent is used to help keep open a narrowed blood vessel. Then the balloon is deflated and removed, leaving the stent in the artery.
Foot care: A person with peripheral artery disease and diabetes may develop poor circulation or neuropathy. The diabetic foot requires special care because decreased circulation and loss of nerve sensitivity can result in many foot complications. Major foot problems can be avoided by following specific recommendations to care for your feet.