PAD can build up over a lifetime, and symptoms may not become obvious until later in life.

This type of narrowing of the arteries also causes the most common form of heart disease, known as Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) or Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). If you have PAD, you’re more at risk of this type of heart disease - and it works the other way around, too.

Over four million Australians live with a heart or circulatory disease¹ - Coronary Heart Disease being the principal diagnosis in about 160,000 hospitalisations and the leading single cause of death in Australia².

Studies show that approximately 20% of the Australian population age 65 years and over have PAD, and 50% of people with PAD present no symptoms, leading to significant under-diagnosis and under-treatment³.

But the symptoms often go unnoticed. So don’t ignore your leg pain - it could be sending you a lifesaving message.

How do I know if my leg pain is caused by PAD?

Leg pain can have many causes, from muscle strains to sciatica. But the key sign that your discomfort may be a symptom of PAD is a pain in the calves, thighs, or buttocks that starts when you’re active and goes away when you rest.

This type of intermittent pain, called claudication, can range from mild to severe and usually affects both legs, although one may be more painful than the other.

Other telltale signs of PAD may include

Cold legs and feet
Loss of leg hair
Discolouration of the skin on your legs and feet
Cuts, grazes or ulcers on your legs or feet that won’t heal

What are your legs telling you about your heart?

References

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