By Samuel J. Stagg III, M.D.
Director, Peripheral Interventions
Cardiocascular Institute of the South

Some troubling new statistics appeared recently in the New England Journal of Medicine about the heart disease risks of patients with peripheral vascular disease -- blocked leg arteries.

A ten-year study at the University of California reported a high death rate from cardiovascular disease among patients with even mild peripheral artery blockage. For patients with severe leg artery problems, the ten-year mortality rate was as much as 15 times that of people with no peripheral vascular disease.

That there could be such a link is no surprise. Blocked heart arteries, which cause heart attacks, and blocked leg arteries have the same cause -- a buildup of cholesterol plaque that reduces an artery's blood-carrying capacity.

What makes this report significant is that it confirms earlier studies suggesting that peripheral artery disease is predictive of heart disease -- that detectable problems in leg arteries may show up before there are any signs or symptoms of accompanying plaque formations in heart arteries.

It would be premature to suggest that a routine screening for blocked leg arteries should be a part of every standard heart checkup. But it's obviously very important to diagnose leg artery problems at the earliest possible stage, and to treat those suffering from this condition as members of a group at high risk for heart disease.

What are the symptoms of leg artery blockage? Generally, the first sign is a cramping pain in the muscles of your calves, thighs or hips during exercise. At first, the pain goes away quickly when you stop exercising. But, as the disease progresses, the pain begins earlier during exertion and becomes more severe.

When the tissues become chronically starved for blood, you may experience foot pains while at rest that are worse when you elevate the foot. In its advanced stages, leg ulcers and even gangrene may occur.

If you have any of these symptoms, see a cardiovascular specialist. The test to check for signs of leg artery blockage is simple and painless -- and important!

&copy 1995 Cardiocascular Institute of the South

For further information, call Jane Arnette, Cardiocascular Institute of the South/Houma, 1-800-425-2565, or Jim Keyser at 1-800-848-2715. E-mail questions or comments to: jakeyser@cardio.com.

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