Practical Guide about PAD

↪ Canadian Foundation for Vascular Health 4 Let me explain! 1. What is peripheral artery disease? Peripheral artery disease (shortened to PAD) is the name for the narrowing of the peripheral blood vessels (more specifically, the arteries) that causes symptoms for patients. Symptoms vary, depending on the location and disease severity, and will be discussed below. The organs in our bodies, such as the heart, kidneys and muscles, need fuel to work. That fuel is oxygen. Oxygen has to be able to reach the different organs so it can be used. It is transported by our blood system, made up of veins and arteries. ↳ Figure 1 : The cardiovascular system and the lungs INTRODUCTION Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a condition affecting nearly 3 million Canadians aged over 50. Unfortunately, a significant proportion of individuals with this disease do not experience any symptoms and do not know they have it. However, the consequences of this disease are serious and individuals with PAD are at high risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke. Therefore, it is important to learn about this disease in order to prevent its health consequences. Everything starts in the lungs, where blood absorbs the oxygen we breathe in. The now oxygen-rich blood then needs to be transported to the organs in our body. The heart is a powerful muscle which acts like a pump and sends blood all around our body. Lastly, it is the role of the blood vessels to transport the oxygen in the blood to the various organs. In this way, the organs can use it to work. This disease is very similar to other diseases of the blood vessels that fuel specific organs. In fact, heart attack (also called myocardial infarction) and stroke are diseases caused by damage to the blood vessels of the heart and brain. 1. Vena cava 2. Trachea 3. Aorta 4. Pulmonary artery 5. Gas exchange 6. Right ventricle 7. Left ventricle 8. Pulmonary veins