PAD stands for peripheral arterial disease. According to the US Department of Health & Human Services, PAD affects 8 to 12 million Americans. The severity of this disease’s symptoms can range from intermittent claudication (trouble walking long distances due to discomfort in the calf, thigh or hip) to gangrene and tissue death due to the utter lack of circulation in the foot.

All of us medically-conscious folks know how heart attacks are caused – if we eat too many hamburgers, spend a few too many hours lounging around, have picked up the habit of smoking, or are just genetically unfortunate, our arteries begin to harden (atherosclerosis) and plaque builds up over time, blocking important circulation from getting to the heart.

The same thing happens in our legs for the same reasons! Our PAD Category refers to a wealth of online articles about this disease that affects not only Americans, but millions of people around the world. One that I found highly informative, especially if you’re just learning about PAD, is this one published in The Times of India.

Working for a company whose medical devices come to the aid of patients suffering from severe PAD has given me both knowledge and hope for those who have run out of reliable treatment options.

For National PAD Awareness, I encourage you to educate yourself on what causes PAD, what treatments are typically prescribed, and where to look when even surgical intervention is not possible.

Since 1998, ArtAssist®…the Arterial Assist Device has helped many patients avoid PAD-related amputation. Read about what a few of them have to say.