Peripheral artery disease: An update
For the first time in decades, there's a new therapy for this often-unrecognized cause of leg pain.
- Reviewed by Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Fatty plaque can accumulate not only in the arteries that supply your heart, but also the ones in your legs. Known as peripheral artery disease (PAD), this plaque buildup can cause a painful, crampy sensation or even just fatigue in one or both legs when you walk. The discomfort is called claudication, from the Latin word meaning “to limp.”
Smoking, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol increase the risk of PAD, which affects nearly one in three people over age 75. Beyond quitting smoking, regular walking is the best treatment for PAD. Now, a new study shows that semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) can help people with PAD and diabetes walk farther and also improve their quality of life (see “An already approved drug finds use for PAD”).
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About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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