Diabetes Control Matters
Peripheral Vascular Disease & Diabetes
Macrovascular Disease is a disease of the large blood vessels
that sometimes occurs when a person has had diabetes for a
long time. Fat and blood clots build up in the large blood
vessels and stick to the vessel walls. There are three kinds
of Macrovascular disease:
- Coronary Disease
- Cerebrovascualr Disease
- Peripheral Vascular Disease
Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) is the disease which occurs
in the large blood vessels of the arms, legs, and feet. It
is sometimes called "hardening of the arteries"
or arteriosclerosis. When the vessels become blocked, they
do not receive enough blood and oxygen supply to the area
is decreased. During such exercise as walking briskly, the
muscles (usually of the calf or thighs) don't get enough
blood, and they hurt. This is called claudication. The pain
usually stops soon after you stop exercising.
A complete blockage of a vessel in the leg can lead to gangrene.
More often a foot gets into serious trouble when there is
a partial blockage which coexists with severe nerve damage
and trauma to the fool (like a cut), allowing an infection
to occur.
The recommended management of PVD includes daily foot care,
smoking cessation, blood pressure control, increased and appropriate
safe exercise, and antiplatlet medications. If a severe blockage
occurs there are several surgical approaches. Angioplasty
can be done to ream out the middle of the artery or an artificial
artery can be put in place to bypass the blocked one.
Signs of Peripheral Vascular Disease (Be sure to discuss
these with your doctor immediately)
- Aching pains in the arms, legs, & feet (especially
when walking).
- Foot sores that heal slowly.
Things You Should Do
Although people with diabetes cannot always avoid PVD, doctors
say you have a better chance of avoiding it if you:
- Take good care of your feet
- Do not smoke
- Control your blood pressure
- Control your blood sugar
- Control your cholesterol
Testing for Peripheral Vascular Disease
- Feel the temperature of the feet. If there is decreased
blood flow to the foot, one foot may feel colder than the
other.
- Feel the foot pulses to assess blood glow through your
arteries at specific pulse points (on top of your foot and
a spot behind your ankle).
- Doppler test – magnifies the sound that comes from
the pulses.
- Angiogram – running dye through he leg arteries
to assess amount of blockage.
|
