HEALTH & WELLNESS
You don’t want to ‘PAD’ your life
HEALTHY LIVING TIPS FROM
Between hectic work schedules and
weekends packed with activities, it’s no
wonder we often ignore pains and cramps in
our legs. Many of us just chalk it up to being
on our feet too much. Unfortunately, these
pains could be a sign of peripheral arterial
disease (PAD), a serious vascular condition.
PAD is caused by plaque buildup in the arteries supplying
the legs, resulting in reduced blood fl ow. Typical symptoms
of impaired leg circulation include pain, aching, tiredness or
cramping in leg muscles while walking, running or using stairs
that goes away when resting. If you have foot or toe pain that
disturbs your sleep, or a skin wound or ulcer on your feet or
toes that’s slow to heal, don’t ignore it — get checked out!
If PAD symptoms are ignored, they can lead to disability,
amputation and poor quality of life. Additionally, blocked leg
arteries found in people with PAD are often a red fl ag that other
arteries — including those in the heart and brain — also may
be blocked, increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Many people are at higher risk for PAD; your risk increases if
you smoke, have high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure
or diabetes, are African-American, are older than 50 or have a
family history of coronary heart disease or stroke.
80
NEW JERSEY COPS
■ SEPTEMBER 2018
Free PAD screening
to be held Sept. 22
Deborah Heart and Lung Center
will host its annual free screening on
Saturday, Sept. 22 to assess for peripheral arterial
disease (PAD), which is impaired circulation in the
legs. This common and dangerous vascular disease
occurs when arteries in the legs become clogged
with fatty deposits, reducing blood fl ow, and can
lead to heart attack, stroke, amputation and death.
Typical symptoms of PAD include pain, aching,
cramping or fatigue in leg muscles while walking or
using stairs.
To fi nd out if you’re eligible for the screening, call
609-621-2080, option 2.
For more information about how Deborah Heart
and Lung Center’s leading-edge technologies can
improve your quality of life or for an appointment
with a Deborah specialist, please visit www.
demanddeborah.org.