SAN ANTONIO – Peripheral artery disease is a cardiovascular disease that affects the arteries that serve the legs, stomach, arms and head.
According to the American Heart Association, the most common symptoms of PAD in the lower extremities are cramping, pain and tiredness in the leg or hip muscles while walking or climbing stairs.
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San Antonio and the South Texas area has one of the highest rates of PAD in the country.
KSAT spoke to Dr. Kris Ford, a podiatrist in San Antonio, about PAD. "When you talk about diabetes and peripheral artery disease, it goes hand-in-hand," Ford said.
Ford said San Antonio is the epicenter of diabetes. He is part of the effort to get the word out about PAD to residents, especially those on the South Side, before the disease can cause amputations and possibly death.
What makes PAD more frightening is that many people mistake the symptoms of the disease for something else and it often goes undiagnosed, according to the American Heart Association.
September is PAD Awareness month. KSAT is reporting on this fatal disease to let residents know about the dangers of PAD. Below is an infographic of PAD by the numbers.
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