2014-11-02 Ningxia Vascular Surgery Department of Vascular Surgery, Ningxia Medical University General Hospital Hu Zhipeng middle and elderly people cold weather legs cold, numb weather gradually cold, many elderly people find their legs cold, every time they go out and walk a distance, legs will be painful, need to rest for a while to relieve. At this time, many elderly people think they have arthritis, often to their own diagnosis and treatment, the symptoms are not relieved but more serious. Be careful when this condition occurs, as it is likely to be a manifestation caused by lower extremity atherosclerosis occlusive disease. Patients with lower limb atherosclerosis often seek medical attention “through the wrong door” The early stage of lower limb atherosclerosis can have no obvious symptoms, or only minor discomfort, such as chills, chills and so on. After that, intermittent claudication symptoms gradually appear, which is a characteristic symptom of lower extremity atherosclerosis occlusive disease.” Many patients who develop this condition choose osteoarthritis when they seek medical attention, not knowing that it is actually a disease in the field of vascular surgery. Lower extremity atherosclerosis-occlusive disease (PAD) is caused by the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the lower extremities, resulting in narrowing and occlusion of the lower extremity arteries, which in turn leads to chronic ischemia of the limbs. The incidence of lower extremity atherosclerosis-occlusive disease is increasing year by year as the overall standard of living of society improves and the population ages. “Due to the lack of sufficient awareness of the disease among most patients, few are able to receive treatment at the early stages of the disease.” Lower extremity atherosclerosis-occlusive disease is usually seen in middle-aged and elderly people. The presence or absence and severity of lower extremity atherosclerosis occlusive disease symptoms are influenced by a variety of factors, including the rate of progression of the lesion, the number of collateral circulation, and the tolerance of the individual. Symptoms generally develop gradually from mild to severe, but when acute thrombosis occurs secondary to atherosclerotic occlusion, it can lead to a sudden increase in symptoms. Ulcers and gangrene may eventually develop in the limbs. Three high, smoking, sedentary exacerbate atherosclerosis epidemiological surveys show that smoking, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, hyperhomocysteinemia, hypercoagulable state, and advanced age are risk factors for lower extremity atherosclerosis occlusive disease. Among them, smoking and diabetes are the most harmful, both of which can increase the incidence of peripheral arterial disease by 3-4 times, with a higher risk of combined presence. To prevent lower limb atherosclerosis-occlusive disease, the main focus is to strictly control the risk factors for atherosclerosis, such as strict monitoring and control of blood pressure, blood sugar, blood lipids, and strict cessation of smoking, which can slow down the process of atherosclerosis, reduce the incidence of lower limb atherosclerosis, and prevent the occurrence of adverse cardiovascular events. “Patients with one or several of the above risk factors should be monitored more closely for timely detection and diagnosis of possible arterial stenosis and occlusive lesions. For patients who have developed lower extremity atherosclerotic occlusive disease, early strengthening of exercise, strict medication, and enhanced foot care to avoid skin breakdown and trauma should be implemented to prevent aggravation of the disease. For patients who have undergone surgery or treatment, the above preventive measures still need to be applied consistently to prevent restenosis of blood vessels at the surgical site and lesions of arteries in other parts of the body.” It is reported that patients with lower limb atherosclerosis should not walk too fast at ordinary times to avoid the onset of ischemic symptoms, but it is also undesirable to lie still for a long time. “For people with little activity, the blood flow in their bodies is slow, metabolism is slow, and there are more impurities in the blood, which also tend to form thrombosis and lead to the occurrence of lower limb atherosclerosis occlusive disease.” It is recommended that patients with lower limb atherosclerosis-occlusive disease, can properly participate in walking exercises in order to enhance the tolerance of lower limb tissues to ischemia and promote the formation and opening of collateral vessels around occluded arteries. Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease that should be viewed and treated as a whole, including controlling blood pressure, blood sugar, blood lipids, strict smoking cessation, etc., and actively diagnosing and treating possible concomitant cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Under the guidance of doctors, we should strengthen exercise to promote the formation of collateral circulation; and pay attention to foot care to avoid skin breakage, burns, etc. Drug therapy for lower extremity atherosclerosis occlusive disease is mainly used for early and middle stage patients, or as an adjunct to surgery and interventional treatment. Commonly used drugs include: antiplatelet agents, such as aspirin and clopidogrel; drugs for vasodilation and promoting the formation of collateral circulation, such as cilostazol, Ambulac and prostaglandins. “The aim of surgical treatment is to reconstruct the arterial blood flow and improve the blood supply to the limb. Indications for surgery include: severe intermittent claudication, resting pain, and ulceration or gangrene.” The choice of surgical plan should take into account the site, scope, degree of vascular lesion, outflow tract and the patient’s physical ability, etc. Let’s pay attention to vascular diseases together, early detection and early treatment, please lend your precious golden fingers and click the button on the upper right corner of the screen to WeChat friends circle right away, so that more people can understand vascular diseases. If your friends and relatives need to know about related issues, please call the Department of Vascular Surgery of Ningxia Medical University General Hospital for more information: 0951-6746916; you can also scan the two-dimensional code to follow the WeChat platform of this treatment center and ask questions online.