Restored Blood Flow Meant Reduced Pain And Higher Quality Of Life

Nov, 2022 - By WMR

A study comparing the clinical, safety, quality of life, and financial outcomes between those who underwent bypass surgery and those who underwent angioplasty and stenting to restore blood flow to their feet and legs involved more than 1,800 patients with severe peripheral artery disease, or PAD, who were at risk for amputation.

Both groups reported low quality of life at the beginning of the research and marked improvements following therapy, which was largely attributed to lessening leg discomfort.

Chicago, November 7, 2022 According to early, late-breaking research presented today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2022, restoring blood flow to the legs—whether through bypass surgery or a less invasive artery-opening procedure with a stent—reduced pain and improved quality of life for people with peripheral artery disease (PAD). The conference, which will be held both physically and online from November 5–7, 2022, in Chicago, is a major international forum for the discussion of the most recent findings in cardiovascular science.

The arteries that transport blood from the heart to the brain, arms, legs, and feet become restricted in PAD as a result of the accumulation of fatty plaque. The American Heart Association estimates that more than 200 million people worldwide suffer from PAD, which makes walking painful, crampy, or weak in the legs and foot. The loss of blood supply can cause chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), which affects 11% of PAD patients and causes pain even when the patient is at rest. Leg amputation may occur if tissue damage is not treated. A person's health and quality of life are significantly impacted by PAD, which may impair their capacity to walk pain-free and partake in recreational or social activities. The detrimental effects of PAD on a person's daily life "cannot be emphasised," according to a new scientific statement on the quality of care for PAD from the American Heart Association.