If you have felt tightness, heaviness, cramping, pain or weakness in your legs during activity, then noticed that the feeling disappeared when you stopped, you may have blockages in the vessels that supply blood to your legs. This condition is called Peripheral Artery Disease, or P.A.D.

About 10 million people in the United States have peripheral vascular disease, a figure estimated to include about five percent of people older than 50.

Anyone over age 70 is at risk for P.A.D. So are people over age 50 with a history of diabetes or smoking. P.A.D. causes discomfort in the legs, but more importantly, it is associated with an increased likelihood of clogged arteries to the heart or brain – and a higher risk for heart attackor stroke.

P.A.D. affects the vessels that carry blood to the “periphery” of your body – essentially all parts of your body except your heart and head. It occurs when blood flow is restricted or blocked by a build-up of plaque (pronounced plak), or fatty deposits, inside the arteries, the vessels that carry blood away from the heart to the body. Many people are not aware of P.A.D. or that they have it. And most do not know how serious it can become if it is not treated.

A simple, painless test – called an Ankle Brachial Index, or ABI – can determine if you have P.A.D. It can be performed in your primary care physician’s office. Unfortunately, many people who have P.A.D. are never tested for it. If you think you have, or are at risk for, P.A.D., you may want to ask your doctor about an ABI test.

Over time, if P.A.D. gets worse, you may be unable to walk and eventually could face losing a foot or leg to amputation. Even more serious, regardless of what happens to your leg, you are more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.

The good news is there are things you can do to reduce the pain and risk of disability associated with P.A.D. and lower your chance of suffering a heart attack or stroke.