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Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is a serious and often underdiagnosed cardiovascular condition that occurs when arteries carrying blood, particularly to the limbs, become clogged with plaque.1,2 Knowing whether or not you are at risk, and taking action against PAD, may help save your legs – and even change your life.
The Potential Impact of PAD
PAD affects up to 12 million Americans,3 and is especially alarming for Black and Hispanic communities. Black Americans are more than twice as likely to have PAD compared to other Americans and are less likely to have access to quality cardiovascular care, putting them at a greater risk for delays in care.2,4,5 About 1 in 40 Hispanic individuals in the US have PAD, which may be due, in part, to risk factors such as diabetes and high blood pressure that are more common in Hispanic communities.6 If left untreated, PAD can increase the risk of serious health issues such as heart attack, stroke, and amputation.2
There are approximately 400 amputations each day in the US, and PAD is a leading cause.5 Amputations are a devastating potential complication of PAD and are associated with high mortality, despite being largely preventable.5
A Personal Connection to PAD
Pam* was not familiar with the disease until it affected her personally. In 2009, her daughter noticed one of Pam’s toes was discolored and recommended she visit her healthcare provider, who was then able to diagnose her PAD early and find a treatment plan to improve her chances of managing her disease. Shortly after, Pam underwent emergency vascular surgery to save her foot.
Pam is now an advocate who helps educate others about PAD, including sharing information about associated risk factors and how to recognize the signs and symptoms.
“We need to start by being aware of what PAD is, and educating our loved ones is a great first step. I am so blessed that my daughter noticed this sign of PAD, which led to my diagnosis and potentially saved my foot.”
– Pam, PAD Patient Advocate
Empowering Change
As part of her efforts to educate and motivate others on the physical and emotional aspects of heart and vascular disease prevention, Pam also supports the Save Legs. Change Lives.™ initiative.
Save Legs. Change Lives.™ is a multiyear initiative aimed at creating urgency and action to address the hidden threat of PAD-related amputation through research, collaboration, education, and screening. Through this program, a team of experts from across Johnson & Johnson travels the country to provide free education and PAD screening events in communities with higher levels of health inequities.
“Knowledge is prevention, or in Spanish, el conocimiento es prevención. By offering comprehensive educational resources and conducting screenings, we can empower individuals to understand their risk factors for PAD. This knowledge enables them to take proactive steps in seeking appropriate care, thereby reducing their risk of PAD and its potentially devastating consequences, such as amputation.”
– JaBaris Swain, MD, Medical Executive, Health Systems Integration at Johnson & Johnson
Knowing Your Risk
It’s important to know if you or a loved one may be at risk for PAD. Some risk factors that may elevate your risk for PAD include: increasing age, family history of heart disease or stroke, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, high blood pressure, and smoking.7 Some PAD signs and symptoms to look out for include: leg numbness or weakness, shiny skin on your legs, coldness in your lower leg or foot (especially when compared to the other), and discolored skin.7
Taking Action
Empower yourself with knowledge and ignite conversations about PAD with your loved ones. If you think you or a loved one may be at risk, talk to your doctor. Visit SaveLegsChangeLives.com to learn more.
*Pam is a patient advocate for Johnson & Johnson and has been compensated for her time.
References
- Afzal N, Sohn S, Scott CG, Liu H, Kullo IJ, Arruda-Olson AM. Surveillance of peripheral arterial disease cases using natural language processing of clinical notes. AMIA Jt Summits Transl Sci Proc. 2017;2017:28-36.
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Facts about peripheral artery disease (P.A.D.) for African Americans. Accessed July 16, 2024. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/resources/facts-about-peripheral-artery-disease-pad-african-americans
- Gornik H, Aronow H, Goodney P, et al. 2024 ACC/AHA/AACVPR/APMA/ABC/SCAI/SVM/SVN/SVS/SIR/VESS guideline for the management of lower extremity peripheral artery disease: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on clinical practice guidelines. Circ. 2024;149:e00-e00. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001251
- Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation: Office of Health Policy. Health insurance coverage and access to care among Black Americans: recent trends and key challenges. Accessed July 16, 2024. https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/4fc0ddbcee8d583d57e399dad6201536/aspe-coverage-access-black-americans-ib.pdf
- Creager MA, Matsushita K, Arya S, et al. Reducing nontraumatic lower-extremity amputations by 20% by 2030: time to get to our feet: a policy statement from the American Heart Association. Circ. 2021;143(17):e875-e891. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000967
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Facts about peripheral artery disease (P.A.D.) for Hispanics/Latinos. Accessed July 16, 2024. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sites/default/files/publications/28470_NHLBI_PAD_FactSheet_HispanicAudience_v16_RELEASE_508.pdf
- Mayo Clinic. Peripheral artery disease (PAD). Symptoms and causes. Accessed July 16, 2024. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/peripheral-artery-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20350557
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