Peripheral Arterial Disease

My mentor once told me that you can tell a great deal about someone's health just by looking at their feet - especially someone with diabetes. During my sessions I conduct foot exams to check for neuropathy, fungal infections, sores or signs of Peripheral Arterial Disease (aka P.A.D). P.A.D  is a disease that affects the lower extremities or legs. It occurs when the arteries in the leg become narrowed or clogged with fatty deposits or plaque. People who have diabetes need to pay careful attention to their feet and should check them daily. Your heart is responsible for pumping blood throughout your body - when the vessels become thick with sugar your heart has to work harder to get its job done. Because your feet are the furthest place away from your heart, they can become susceptible to injury and disease, especially when you have a clogged artery in your leg.Peripheral Arterial Disease originally appeared on About.com Diabetes on Thursday, January 16th, 2014 at 14:03:15.Permalink | Comment | Email this
Source: About Diabetes - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news