Meet the Experts

Dr. Ashkol Mittal

Cardiovascular Specialist with Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute

Videos

Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D): Treatment

Treatments for Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D) can include lifestyle modification, treatment of existing conditions, statin, antiplatelet therapy, angioplasty, and vascular surgery. "Usually we start with medical therapy that includes use of aspirin, which is an antiplatelet agent. We also use statins, which are medications to decrease the bad cholesterol," says Dr. Ashok Mittal, Cardiovascular Specialist with Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute.

Diagnosing Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D)

Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D) can be diagnosed with an ankle-brachial index, an angiography, a doppler ultrasound, a treadmill exercise test, and a physical exam. Dr. Ashok Mittal, Cardiovascular Specialist with Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute, explains doctors start with a physical exam to check the pulses in the patients' legs. "If I feel the diminished pulses or even if I don't, but they still have the symptoms, I can send them for ankle-brachial index to check the blood pressure of arms and legs."

Arteriosclerosis Vs. Atherosclerosis

Dr. Ashok Mittal, Cardiovascular Specialist with Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute, explains the difference between arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis. "Arteriosclerosis is the hardening of the blood vessels and atherosclerosis is one of the causes of the arteriosclerosis. The other causes of arteriosclerosis could be inflammation, vasculitis, and inflammation of the blood vessels." He also says people who have high cholesterol are at increased risk of suffering from atherosclerosis, because they have more fat flowing in the blood vessels and if they have inflamed arteries, more deposition of fat will happen.

Prevention Of Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D)

There are some tips to prevent Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D), such as quitting smoking; reducing fat, cholesterol and simple carbs, controlling high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes; weight loss; limiting alcohol, and exercise. Dr. Ashok Mittal, Cardiovascular Specialist with Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute, says for a healthy heart people should focus on more fruits and vegetables, grain diet, less processed meat, and less refined sugars.

Diabetes And Peripheral Artery Disease

Dr. Ashok Mittal, Cardiovascular Specialist with Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute, explains diabetes is a risk factor of Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D), because it is an inflammatory condition. "Insulin resistance leads to the deposition of fat inside the muscle, the muscle cannot take up glucose, which builds up in the blood, and that causes decrease in the blood flow as well as inflammation, and arteries which are inflamed are more prone to atherosclerosis." He points out obesity is a serious matter to take care of because it is not only fat, it is a pro-inflammatory state of the body.

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