September is peripheral artery disease (PAD) awareness month. Although scientists estimate that over 200 million people worldwide suffer from the condition, it’s often neglected in the cardiovascular space in favor of more well-studied diseases, Yale scientists say.
PAD is caused by blockages in the leg arteries. In the early stages of the disease, it can cause pain and other symptoms in the lower body while walking. In a more progressive stage of the disease, called critical limb ischemia, patients may experience constant pain even when not walking, which clinicians call “rest pain,” or have non-healing wounds and gangrene.
PAD is still poorly understood, but Yale researchers are at the forefront of studying not only the disease itself, but also its close connection with mental health and how social determinants may impact health outcomes.