Heart and Vascular Hospital

In PVD, we often see a narrowing of the vessels that carry blood to the leg and arm muscles. The most common cause is atherosclerosis—the buildup of plaque inside the artery wall. Plaque reduces blood flow and decreases the amount of oxygen and nutrients available to the tissue. Clots may form on the artery walls, which decrease the size of the vessel and threaten the major arteries.

Some of the conditions associated with PVD that affect the veins include varicose veins, chronic venous insufficiency, and deep vein thrombosis (also known as DVT). An example of PVD that affects the lymphatic vessels is lymphedema. When PVD occurs in the arteries outside the heart, it may be called peripheral arterial disease (PAD), though the terms are often used interchangeably.

There are a variety of treatment options ranging from lifestyle modifications, to medications, to aggressive treatment of certain conditions that may make your PVD worse (such as diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol), to surgical procedures. For some people, we might be able to create a prevention plan to help lessen the progression of PVD once it has been diagnosed. You and your doctor will decide together what is the best path to follow.