Peripheral Vascular Disease and Peripheral Artery Disease Defined

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and peripheral artery disease (PAD) are similar disorders of the circulatory system and the terms are often used interchangeably. The difference between the two is that peripheral vascular disease refers to disorders of the circulatory system that affect any blood vessel outside of the brain or heart and peripheral artery disease is a disorder specifically affecting the arteries, particularly in the arms and legs.

What are the symptoms of Peripheral Vascular Disorder and Peripheral Artery Disorder?

Some of the symptoms of PVD and PAD may include numbness or pain in the extremities, bluish discoloration of the skin, or slow-healing wounds. The biggest risk factors for PVD and PAD are: having coronary artery disease (CAD), smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, and physical inactivity.

The processes that lead to coronary atherosclerosis can lead to the same problem in the peripheral arteries. Patients who have evidence of CAD should be carefully evaluated for PVD. Similarly, PVD could be indicative of CAD.