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Is Leg Pain Putting a Cramp in
Your Life? |
If you have ever woken up with a cramp in your calf, you know it
can be a very painful experience. Some people experience cramps
in their legs during an activity like walking, but what many
people do not realize is that what we would normally consider a
cramp, may be Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), a condition
which greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular events -
heart attack or stroke.
 PAD
or poor leg circulation is the narrowing or blocking of arteries
that supply blood to the legs. Approximately 27 million people
in North America and Europe have PAD and a majority of them do
not experience symptoms. In Canada, it is estimated that four
per cent of the population over the age of 40 is affected with
PAD. If left untreated, patients with PAD are three to six times
more likely to experience heart attack, stroke and
cardiovascular death.
Unfortunately, it is a condition that is often under-diagnosed,
under-recognized and under-treated.
"People who experience pain in their legs when exercising or
walking and feel a relief after a short rest, should realize
that it may be more serious than a muscle spasm or a cramp,
especially if they have had a history of cardiac problems or are
smokers," says Dr. Victor Huckell, cardiologist at the
University of British Columbia. "Despite limited symptoms,
physicians can easily diagnose PAD and patients should not put
off seeing their doctors if they experience this kind of pain."
Some risk factors associated with PAD include cigarette smoking
and diabetes. Other risk factors include age, family history,
hypertension, sedentary lifestyle and obesity.
The main symptom of PAD is pain in the leg that occurs usually
when people walk, but is relieved by rest. Other symptoms may
include lack of toenail growth, deteriorating calf muscles and
even gangrene. To detect PAD, screening should include a review
of an individual's medical history and physical examination in
men over 40 and women over 50 or postmenopausal, as well as in
patients with at least one recognized cardiovascular risk
factor. A physician can also determine poor leg circulation by
performing an Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) - a ratio of the arm
blood pressure over the ankle blood pressure measurement.
People can manage PAD through exercise. Regular walking
programs, as long as they are supervised, are quite effective.
In addition, smoking cessation has also been shown to reverse
PAD. In addition to lifestyle changes, medications, like
antiplatelet, antithrombotic or ASA therapies, are important to
help reduce cardiovascular events in PAD patients.
Speak with your doctor to find out more about PAD. Make sure to
tell your doctor if you have been experiencing pain in your
legs.
- News Canada
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