10 Unseen Culprits Behind Peripheral Vascular Disease: A Riveting Roadmap
5. History Of Stroke
An individual who has a previous history of strokes has a higher risk of developing peripheral vascular disease as a result. The most common type of stroke called an ischemic stroke is caused by a blood clot or embolus that becomes lodged in a vessel in the brain. Patients who had a stroke as the result of a blood clot are more likely to have blood that clots too much or inappropriately. Individuals who have hypercoagulable blood are more likely to develop blood clots that can cause peripheral vascular disease by becoming lodged in the arteries of the legs. Individuals who have a stroke due to an embolus are more likely to have atherosclerosis where a piece of plaque broke off from its original location and became lodged in an artery in the brain. Atherosclerosis occurs when fatty substances like cholesterol are allowed to enter the blood vessel walls and bloodstream in compromised or damaged areas of the endothelium. The fatty substances interact with the patient's immune system on the inner lining of the vessels, causing the substances to calcify and accumulate. When this process occurs in the legs or arms and causes narrowed arteries, it is considered peripheral vascular disease.
6. Smoking: The Artery Assassin & Vascular Saboteur
Each puff of a cigarette unleashes a chemical onslaught against your blood vessels, making smoking a primary arch-culprit in PVD. It directly damages the delicate endothelial lining of arteries, triggers chronic inflammation, makes blood stickier and more prone to clotting, and constricts vessels, drastically accelerating atherosclerosis—the buildup of fatty plaques. This relentless vascular sabotage severely narrows peripheral arteries, effectively starving limbs of essential oxygen and nutrients. Quitting smoking is unequivocally the single most impactful step to halt this arterial siege and shield against the devastating progression of Peripheral Vascular Disease, dramatically reducing your risk.
