What is a blocked artery in the leg?
A blocked artery in the leg, also known as peripheral arterial disease (PAD), occurs when the arteries that carry blood to the legs become narrowed or clogged with fatty deposits called plaque. This prevents normal blood flow to the muscles and tissues of the legs and feet.
A blocked leg artery is serious because it can cause severe pain, impair mobility, and raise the risk of tissue damage or infection if untreated. The blockages usually develop slowly over time and tend to worsen gradually. PAD is considered a form of cardiovascular disease since plaque buildup and blood vessel damage also underlie heart attacks and strokes.
What are the symptoms of a blocked leg artery?
Common symptoms of a blocked leg artery include:
– Leg pain when walking or exercising that goes away with rest (intermittent claudication)
– Numbness, weakness, or heaviness in the legs and feet
– Sores, wounds, or ulcers on the feet and toes that are slow to heal
– Discoloration or bluish tone to the legs and feet
– Coldness in the lower legs and feet
– Poor nail and hair growth on toes and legs
– Leg cramps, especially at night
– Erectile dysfunction in men
In severe cases, the blockage may progress to critically low blood flow, leading to severe unrelenting pain and tissue damage (critical limb ischemia). This is a limb-threatening condition that requires urgent treatment.
What causes a blocked artery in the leg?
The most common cause of blocked leg arteries is atherosclerosis. This is the gradual buildup of plaque on the inner walls of arteries. Plaque is made up of cholesterol, fatty deposits, cellular waste, calcium, and fibrin.
Risk factors that can promote atherosclerosis and PAD include:
– Smoking
– Diabetes
– High blood pressure
– High cholesterol
– Older age
– Obesity
– Lack of exercise
– Family history of PAD, heart attack, or stroke
Less commonly, blocked leg arteries may be caused by:
– Blood clots
– Radiation exposure
– Injury to the leg
– Fibromuscular dysplasia
– Inflammatory diseases like arthritis
How is a blocked leg artery diagnosed?
If PAD is suspected, the doctor will examine the legs and feel for weak or absent pulses in the feet. Diagnostic tests may include:
– Ankle-brachial index – Compares blood pressure at the ankles to blood pressure in the arm. An index lower than 0.9 usually indicates PAD.
– Doppler ultrasound – Uses soundwaves to visualize blood flow through the arteries and veins. Can identify blockage location and severity.
– Arteriography – Dye is injected into the arteries, followed by x-rays or CT scans to highlight narrow spots and blockages.
– Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) – MRI technology provides 3D images of blood vessels and flow.
– Blood tests – To check cholesterol levels and search for conditions like diabetes.
How serious is a blocked leg artery?
The symptoms and prognosis depend on the amount of blockage and reduction in blood flow:
| Blockage Severity | Symptoms | Prognosis |
|---|---|---|
| Mild | No symptoms or mild leg pain while exercising | Low risk – can often be managed with lifestyle changes |
| Moderate | Intermittent claudication – pain with walking or activity that subsides with rest | Increased risk of worsening. Lifestyle changes and medication recommended. |
| Severe | Severe pain at rest, non-healing leg sores, tissue damage | High risk – urgent revascularization procedures often needed |
| Critical (Ischemia) | Extreme leg pain, skin ulcers, gangrene | Very high risk – immediate revascularization required to save limb |
Mild blockages may cause minimal symptoms and can often be managed with lifestyle changes like exercise, smoking cessation, and a healthier diet.
More severe blockages usually produce intermittent claudication – pain that limits walking and activity. There is increased risk of progression without treatment. Medications, supervised exercise programs, quitting smoking, and procedures to open blocked vessels are often helpful.
Critical limb ischemia occurs when blockages cut off blood flow so severely that tissues start to die. This is a limb-threatening emergency requiring urgent revascularization to restore circulation and prevent amputation.
Overall, the more restricted blood flow becomes, the higher the risk of uncontrolled pain, irreversible limb damage, and cardiovascular complications. Early detection and management of PAD is key.
What are the treatment options for a blocked leg artery?
Treatment options for improving circulation in a blocked leg artery include:
– **Lifestyle changes** – Quitting smoking, losing weight, increasing exercise, and eating a healthier diet can help slow PAD progression.
– **Medications** – Drugs that prevent clotting, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and dilate blood vessels may be prescribed.
– **Angioplasty and stenting** – Using a catheter to access the blocked artery and open it up with a tiny balloon. A wire mesh stent is usually put in place to prop the artery open.
– **Atherectomy** – A small rotating shaver inserted into the artery to remove plaque buildup and widen the artery.
– **Bypass surgery** – Using a grafted vein or prosthetic tube to route blood flow around severely blocked arteries.
– **Endarterectomy** – Surgically removing plaque from inside the artery.
– **Exercise therapy** – Specialized exercise programs with close monitoring can encourage development of alternate blood vessels.
The specific treatments utilized will depend on factors like location and extent of blockages, overall health, and personal preferences. Discuss all options thoroughly with your vascular surgeon.
What complications can develop from a blocked leg artery?
Potential complications from untreated PAD and blocked leg arteries include:
– **Worsening pain and disability** – Narrowing arteries limit mobility and reduce quality of life without relief. Claudication pain can progress to critically low blood flow.
– **Leg and foot ulcers** – Poor circulation impairs wound healing, leading to chronic open sores. These have a high risk of infection.
– **Gangrene** – Extremely restricted blood supply causes body tissues to die. Gangrene often leads to limb amputation if flow cannot be restored urgently.
– **Limb loss** – Critical ischemia and spreading gangrene may ultimately require amputation of the lower leg or foot if arterial blood supply cannot be recovered in time.
– **Heart attack or stroke** – The artery blockages that underlie PAD also raise risk of plaque rupture and clots in the heart and brain arteries.
– **Death** – PAD is linked with 2-3 times higher risk of cardiovascular mortality. Heart attacks, strokes, and major amputations carry potentially fatal consequences.
Catching and treating PAD early on with lifestyle changes and medications can help prevent progression to these severe complications.
Can exercises help with a blocked leg artery?
Yes, proper exercise can be very beneficial for improving symptoms and functioning in someone with a blocked leg artery:
– **Encourages new vessel growth** – Exercise prompts the growth of tiny collateral blood vessels that can bypass blockages.
– **Strengthens leg muscles** – Stronger muscles allow more exertion before pain onset. This expands pain-free walking distance.
– **Improves cardiovascular fitness** – Exercise training benefits PAD patients even more than healthy people in terms of boosting endurance.
– **Aids weight loss and glucose control** – Shedding excess weight and improving glucose metabolism positively impact PAD.
– **Relieves leg pain** – Regular activity can reduce claudication pain over time.
Supervised exercise programs designed specifically for PAD patients are recommended. Walking is the cornerstone, starting slowly and increasing duration and speed over time. Strength, balance, and flexibility exercises are also incorporated.
Consistency is key – it can take 3 to 6 months before significant benefits emerge. Exercise should be avoided during acute PAD pain flares. Check with your doctor before starting an exercise routine.
What are the long term outcomes for a blocked leg artery?
The long term outlook for individuals with a blocked leg artery depends greatly on severity at diagnosis and adherence to treatment recommendations:
– In mild cases detected early, implementing lifestyle changes can help many patients live active lives and avoid disease progression.
– For moderate blockages causing claudication, medications and supervised exercise programs can extend pain-free walking distance in over 80% of patients. Less than 5% require amputation.
– Severe cases often require revascularization procedures – over 75% of patients improve significantly or become symptom free. But higher risk of losing limb without prompt treatment.
– Critically blocked arteries demand urgent revascularization to salvage the limb. Success rates are still over 90% with timely intervention. Untreated critical limb ischemia usually results in amputation.
– Overall, effective management focusing on smoking cessation, exercise, medications, and procedures as needed allows most PAD patients to avoid mobility disability and maintain quality of life.
The atherosclerosis underlying PAD does raise long term cardiovascular risks. Ongoing medical management, lifestyle changes, and monitoring are key to reducing chances of heart attack, stroke, major amputation, and death.
Conclusion
A blocked artery in the leg is a serious condition that can greatly impact mobility and quality of life. Mild blockages detected early can often be managed with lifestyle changes. More severe cases causing leg pain with exertion or tissue damage require medications, supervised exercise programs, and sometimes procedures to open up the arteries.
Prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential to halt progression, restore blood flow, prevent tissue loss, and avoid other cardiovascular complications. Patients with PAD must remain vigilant with managing risk factors and maintaining an active exercise program. With proper long term care, most individuals can retain functioning and avoid major disability despite having a blocked leg artery.