Nutrition, Exercise and Quitting Smoking Important for Treating Peripheral Vascular Disease

Peripheral vascular disease involves blockage of the arteries in the legs and arms.  Most patients with peripheral vascular disease are smokers, diabetics or both. Such artery blockage can cause problems such as difficulty and pain when walking and poor healing of wounds to the hands and foot.  Peripheral vascular disease is very common in the middle aged and elderly, with one study reporting a 19% prevalence in a group of 7,175 adults over aged 55 years (Meijer, 1998).

 Intermittent claudication is the most common form of peripheral vascular disease which involves atherosclerosis related blocking on the arteries of the legs and feet. Intermittent claudication causes pain when walking, muscle spasms, foot and leg numbness and inability to walk for long distances. Various studies have reported that regular exercise and supplements with fish oil, 6 grams daily of l-arginine and/or 2 grams daily of l-carnitine (amino acids), and vitamin E (400 international units or more daily) are all associated with better walking ability, blood flow and blood vessel function in patients with peripheral vascular disease (Heffernan, 2010; Carrero, 2006). Other studies have reported that supplementation with Ginko and quitting smoking can significantly reduce pain and significantly increase walking distance in intermittent claudication patients (Pittler, 2005).

Any adult with symptoms of pain, numbness or inability to walk a several blocks should consider a medical consultation to discuss testing for intermittent claudication. Inexpensive and non-invasive ultrasound tests are available to diagnose intermittent claudication and other forms of peripheral vascular disease.  Many hospitals and communities also have supervised exercise programs for those with vascular problems.  Smokers with intermittent claudication should also consider joining a smoking cessation group.

References consulted in writing this blog include

Carrero JJ, Grimble RF.  Does nutrition have a role in peripheral vascular disease?  British Journal of Nutrition 2006;95(2):217-29.

Heffernan KS, Fahs CA, Ranadive SM, Patvardhan EA.  L-arginine as a nutritional prophylaxis against vascular dysfunction with gaining.  Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacological Therapies 2010, In Press.

Meijer WT, Hoes AW, Rutgers M, et al.  Peripheral arterial disease in the elderly: The Rotterdam study.  Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology 1998;18(2):185-92.

Pittler MH, Ernst E. Complementary therapies for peripheral arterial disease: systematic review. Atherosclerosis 2005;181:1-7.