UH vascular doctors strive to accomplish two goals through PAD treatment: managing the disease to relieve the patient's symptoms and restore mobility; and halting PAD's progress to reduce the patient's risk of heart attack or stroke.

Lifestyle Changes

Patients can play a pivotal role in their own recovery from, or management of, PAD by adopting healthy lifestyle habits. Some of the most important actions they can take include:

  • Stop smoking. UH doctors recommend that patients with PAD stop smoking immediately. In support of that advice, UH offers smoking cessation classes for our patients. Nicotine chewing gum and skin patches may also be helpful.
  • Maintain a healthful diet.
  • Exercise regularly.

Medical Treatments

Exercise and medical treatment programs can be highly effective in early stages of PAD. UH vascular medicine team will consider the following treatment options:

  • Walking exercise program: Since every patient is different, our specialists develop a customized walking exercise program to help alleviate symptoms and restore healthy blood flow in individuals with PAD.
  • Medications: A variety of medications are available to help manage PAD. UH doctors can determine which medication or combination of medications will be most effective given the patient's symptoms, general health and tolerance for various types of drugs.
  • Modification of risk factors: UH vascular medicine team prescribes and monitors medications for controlling high blood pressure and diabetes.

Surgical Treatments

Surgical treatments are designed to address severe symptoms and restore proper blood flow. Among the procedures UH surgeons offer:

  • Balloon angioplasty and stenting: This minimally invasive endovascular procedure involves threading a balloon catheter – a tiny, hollow, flexible tube with a balloon near its end – from the groin to the affected artery. Once it's close to the blockage (as determined through X-rays), the balloon is inflated to open the blocked vessel and restore proper blood flow. A stent, typically made of self-expanding, stainless-steel mesh, is placed at the site of the blockage to hold the artery open.
  • Atherectomy: During this procedure, plaque is mechanically removed from an artery through the use of a laser catheter, which vaporizes the plaque, or a rotating device on the end of a catheter that shaves off the plaque. Balloon angioplasty and stenting may be used after an atherectomy to hold the artery open.
  • Bypass surgery: Bypass surgery is a procedure in which the surgeon makes a small incision on each groin and creates a detour around the blocked portion of the artery using one of the patient's veins or a man-made material.
  • Amputation: Reserved for extreme cases of PAD – typically a situation in which gangrene (tissue death) has occurred – amputation is the surgical removal of the affected limb, or a portion of the limb.