Arterial Disease Tearpad
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Risk factors Symptoms What it is When blood flow to the arteries in your legs and feet is blocked by plaque (fatty buildup), your legs and feet have trouble getting the oxygen and nutrients they need. This is called arterial disease. Arterial Disease “Intermittent claudication” is the most common symptom. This is when you feel a pain, ache, cramp or tired feeling in your calf, foot, thigh, hip or buttocks while walking or doing exercise. These feelings usually go away quickly when you stop your activity, but come back if you start again. As the disease gets worse, you will feel the same pain with shorter periods of activity. Over time, these feelings may occur when you’re resting as well. Your legs and feet may also: • feel numb • have no pulse at all or only a faint pulse • have dry scaly skin and poor hair and nail growth • feel cool to the touch • develop ulcers (wounds) that heal slowly • get smaller due to your muscles shrinking from lack of use • hurt if you sit with them propped up • have a reddish-blue color when your feet hang down or a pale color when you sit with them raised • have shiny, tight-feeling skin These things increase your chance of having arterial disease. if you have: q diabetes q high blood pressure q high cholesterol if you are: q an older adult q overweight q a smoker or use other tobacco products q eating or drinking caffeine products (like coffee, soft drinks, tea and chocolate) q not getting enough exercise blood flow fatty buildup artery too narrow Copyright © 2000-2015 Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. DO NOT DUPLICATE. Product # 387 Pritche&Hull Bringing People&Health together p-h.com 1-800-241-4925 [email protected]
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Education is key in helping your patients avoid PVD complications. Let P&H help you educate them on the treatment and management of this disease with our PVD tear sheets. This series of 5 tearsheets covers arterial disease, arterial ulcers, venous disease, venous ulcers and compression therapy. These colorful tear sheets are written in easy-to-understand language so your patients can get all the information they need. PVD does not have to cause problems for your patients, let our tear sheets show this to them. Details • pad of 50 sheets • double-sided • 8.5 x 11'' Item 387 Price: $10.95
Transcript of Arterial Disease Tearpad
Risk factors
SymptomsWhat it is
When blood flow to the arteries in your legs and feet is blocked by plaque (fatty buildup), your legs and feet have trouble getting the oxygen and nutrients they need. This is called arterial disease.
Arterial Disease
“Intermittent claudication” is the most common symptom. This is when you feel a pain, ache, cramp or tired feeling in your calf, foot, thigh, hip or buttocks while walking or doing exercise. These feelings usually go away quickly when you stop your activity, but come back if you start again.
As the disease gets worse, you will feel the same pain with shorter periods of activity. Over time, these feelings may occur when you’re resting as well.
Your legs and feet may also:
• feel numb
• have no pulse at all or only a faint pulse
• have dry scaly skin and poor hair and nail growth
• feel cool to the touch
• develop ulcers (wounds) that heal slowly
• get smaller due to your muscles shrinking from lack of use
• hurt if you sit with them propped up
• have a reddish-blue color when your feet hang down or a pale color when you sit with them raised
• have shiny, tight-feeling skin
These things increase your chance of having arterial disease.
if you have:
q diabetes
q high blood pressure
q high cholesterol
if you are:
q an older adult
q overweight
q a smoker or use other tobacco products
q eating or drinking caffeine products (like coffee, soft drinks, tea and chocolate)
q not getting enough exercise
blood flow
fatty buildup
artery too narrow
Copyright © 2000-2015 Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. DO NOT DUPLICATE.
Product # 387 Pritchett&Hull Bringing People&Health together p-h.com 1-800-241-4925 [email protected]
Arterial DiseaseTreatment
The aim of this treatment is to:
find ways to improve your blood flow
take good care of your skin and feet
protect your legs and feet from bumps and bruises
Treatment includes managing and controlling the risk factors you can and following a plan of treatment. In some cases surgery may be needed to open or replace a clogged artery.
Although arterial disease can’t be cured, it can be managed. Here’s how:
• Stop smoking— using tobacco reduces blood flow to all parts of your body.
• Take your medicine as ordered by your healthcare provider.
• If you have another disease, like diabetes, high blood pressure or heart failure, keep it under control.
• Exercise often. Try to walk at least 150 minutes per week. (Walking may cause pain, but it can also improve your blood flow and reduce your pain if done right.) Check with your doctor first.
• Avoid wearing tight clothing— this can cut off circulation.
• Avoid hitting or bumping your legs or feet—this can cause bruises or sores that may be hard to heal.
• Keep pets away from your legs and feet so they don’t scratch you and cause sores that can get infected.
• Keep your legs and feet warm.
• Use good hygiene—keep your skin clean and dry (use a fragrance-free, dye-free lotion to keep your skin moist).
• Have regular checkups that include a “socks off” check of your feet.
• Lose weight if you are overweight.
• Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet to help keep you healthy.
Management
If you are a diabetic, keep your blood glucose under control!
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Copyright © 2000-2015 Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. DO NOT DUPLICATE.
Product # 387 Pritchett&Hull Bringing People&Health together p-h.com 1-800-241-4925 [email protected]
