Peripheral Artery Disease in Dallas
Dallas Has a Vascular Disease Problem
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but people in the United States, more specifically Dallas, aren’t getting healthier. Despite a new diet fad popping up on social media every other month, and every fast food chain trying to capitalize on the latest “fake meat” trend, the numbers are telling us that population’s collective health isn’t improving. You see, it’s not just about what food you eat. Sure, that’s important, but an entire lifestyle change is necessary to improve your health. That means, yes, eating right, but also exercising, stopping smoking, curbing alcohol intake, and a number of other things you need to do to round out a healthier existence.
According to the New York Post:
…the number of seniors with four or more chronic diseases is expected to double by 2035, according to a study recently published in British scientific journal Age and Ageing… Chronic diseases, according to the National Council on Aging, include hypertension, high cholesterol, arthritis, coronary heart disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, depression, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. – https://nypost.com/2018/01/26/humans-are-living-longer-but-theyre-also-getting-sicker/
Here at VHI, we’re very much concerned with your vascular health and how we can improve it together. Vascular disease, specifically peripheral artery disease, is prevalent and leads to all sorts of unwanted medical conditions, up to and including loss of limbs and potentially death. No one wants that, so let’s figure out how we’re going to stem the tide.
What Does the CDC Say About PAD?
Approximately 8.5 million people in the United States have PAD, including 12-20% of individuals older than age 60 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Texas is a large chunk of the U.S. population, so eyeballing that math means maybe one hundred thousand people in Dallas may either have PAD right now, or are at-risk for developing it soon.
Let’s back it up and explain what exactly Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is.
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in the legs or lower extremities is the narrowing or blockage of the vessels that carry blood from the heart to the legs. It is primarily caused by the buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries, which is called atherosclerosis. PAD can happen in any blood vessel, but it is more common in the legs than the arms. – https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/pad.htm
Vascular Disease, PAD and Dallas
According to a WorldPopulationReview.com survey, the 13-county Dallas – Fort Worth – Arlington metro area has a population of 6.8 million, which is the 7th largest metro area in the United States. Remember our number from earlier about PAD sufferers? We ballparked it around a hundred thousand people in Dallas likely suffering with peripheral artery disease. That’s people already suffering. That’s not saying anything about the remaining 6.8 million people with the opportunity to get it. So, what are the risk factors of PAD?
Peripheral Artery Disease Risk Factors
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- Atherosclerosis
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- Age above 60 years
Okay, so with those factors, we can safely remove a chunk of the population off the at-risk board. Let’s focus on 60+ year-old seniors. The same survey we referenced earlier says 132,810 adults in Dallas are seniors. That gets us our number of around 100k people in DFW that may be suffering, or are at-risk, for PAD.
We can whittle down that number even more by cross-referencing Dallasite seniors who also suffer with hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes and/or high cholesterol. From there we can factor in the smokers vs non-smokers. But, even after all that science is computed, it may not lessen that number as much as you think because risk factors don’t mean prerequisites for disease – PAD can happen regardless.
Dallas Peripheral Artery Disease Treatment
For some, simply getting up and active will alleviate most uncomfortable PAD symptoms. Remember that healthier lifestyle thing we talked about? Another obvious to-do would be to quit smoking to avoid all the negative side effects cigarettes bring on. If the PAD is a little more advanced, statins and blood thinners may be prescribed.
Now, if the peripheral artery disease is severely advanced, and several blood vessels are blocked or weakened, doctors can perform a medical procedure where they implant stents to keep the blood passageways open to improve flow and health.
If you’re concerned about PAD and either feel you may be suffering from it, or simply want to connect with a doctor and learn more, book an appointment right now to speak with an experienced Dallas PAD doctor.
