Peripheral Arterial Disease

Risks

Patients and their families should be aware of risk factors that could increase the likelihood of peripheral vascular disease and the risk of heart attack or stroke, such as:

• Diabetes
• Cigarette smoking
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• High levels of "bad" cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
• Previous stroke or heart attack
• Obesity
• Sedentary lifestyle (minimal regular exercise)
• Age — The risk increases with age. Men over age 50 are affected more frequently.
• Family history of heart disease
• Cardiovascular disease, covering several conditions affecting the heart
• Elevated homocystine level — This amino acid, a building block of proteins, occurs naturally in the blood. Studies have found that people with elevated levels of homocystine have higher risk of heart and blood vessel damage.