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What is Peripheral Artery Disease?

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is a condition in which narrowed or blocked arteries reduce blood flow, most commonly to the legs and feet. It is usually associated with atherosclerosis and may cause leg pain during walking, numbness, weakness, cold feet, or slow-healing wounds. Some people have few or no symptoms, while advanced disease can cause chronic limb-threatening ischemia and increase the risk of tissue damage or amputation.

What is the Importance of Timely Treatment?

Timely diagnosis and treatment can help improve walking ability, reduce symptoms, protect the limb, and lower the risk of cardiovascular and limb-related complications. Management may include lifestyle changes, structured exercise, medicines, foot care, and revascularisation when indicated. Severe disease involving chronic limb-threatening ischemia requires specialised and often multidisciplinary care to reduce the risk of limb loss.

What are the Common Symptoms of Peripheral Artery Disease?

  • Leg Pain During Walking: Cramping, aching, or fatigue in the calf, thigh, hip, or buttock may occur during walking and improve after resting.
  • Numbness or Weakness: Reduced blood flow may cause numbness, weakness, or an unusual sensation in the affected leg or foot.
  • Cold Feet or Legs: One foot or leg may feel colder than the other because of reduced circulation.
  • Skin or Nail Changes: Reduced blood flow may change skin colour, hair growth, or toenail growth.
  • Slow-Healing Wounds: Cuts, sores, or ulcers on the feet or legs may take longer than expected to heal.
  • Pain at Rest: Advanced PAD may cause persistent foot or leg pain, particularly at night or when the leg is elevated.

Causes and Risk Factors of Peripheral Artery Disease

Causes

  • Atherosclerosis: Fatty and cholesterol-containing plaque can build up inside the arteries and restrict blood flow.
  • Blood Clots: A clot can suddenly obstruct an artery and cause acute limb ischemia.
  • Arterial Injury: Trauma or damage to an artery may affect blood flow.
  • Inflammatory or Vascular Disorders: Certain diseases that affect blood vessels can narrow or block arteries.
  • Other Arterial Conditions: Less common structural or vascular disorders may also cause reduced blood flow.

Risk Factors

  • Smoking or tobacco exposure
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Older age
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Obesity and physical inactivity
  • Established cardiovascular disease
  • Family history of vascular disease
  • Previous stroke or coronary artery disease

Latest Research and Technologies in the Treatment of Peripheral Artery Disease in the United Arab Emirates

  • Multidisciplinary, minimally invasive approaches to peripheral artery disease (PAD) combine comprehensive medical therapy, structured exercise, advanced imaging, and, when appropriate, endovascular or surgical revascularisation. Modern endovascular options include drug-coated balloons, stents, atherectomy, intravascular lithotripsy, and mechanical thrombectomy, with technology selection based on lesion length, location, and calcification. Recent research evaluates atherectomy as vessel preparation before balloon angioplasty, showing improved short-term procedural outcomes but uncertain long-term clinical benefit.

Treatment options for Peripheral Artery Disease

Balloon angioplasty : Formerly known as Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty (PTA); it is the foundation of minimally invasive vascular therapy.

Open-Surgical Bypass: Surgery that creates an alternative route for blood flow around a blocked artery, using a vein or a synthetic graft. It may be considered for selected patients based on disease complexity, available conduit, overall health, and expected durability.

Hybrid Revascularisation: A specialised combination approach (e.g., an open common femoral endarterectomy combined with catheter-based stenting of the superficial femoral artery) handled by a vascular team.

Atherectomy : A highly specific endovascular treatment technique used to manage Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). In a clean, relational medical database or clinical decision support tool, it should not be listed as a broad standalone treatment modality.


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Wound and Foot Care: For patients who progress to Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia (CLTI), aggressive wound care, pressure offloading, and infection control are mandatory alongside revascularisation to prevent amputation.

  • Clinical assessment:
    • Medical History: Assessment includes walking-related symptoms, pain at rest, wounds, smoking history, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and previous vascular procedures.
    • Physical Examination: A doctor may assess pulses, skin colour and temperature, capillary refill, hair and nail changes, and the presence of ulcers or tissue damage.
    • Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI): Compares blood pressure at the ankle with that in the arm and is a commonly used initial test for diagnosing PAD.
    • Toe-Brachial Index (TBI): May be useful when the ABI is difficult to interpret, particularly in people with heavily calcified arteries.
    • Exercise ABI: May help identify PAD when symptoms suggest disease but resting ABI results are not diagnostic.
    • Pulse Volume or Segmental Pressure Testing: Can help identify the location and severity of arterial blood-flow abnormalities.
  • Imaging Tests:
    • Duplex Ultrasound: Uses ultrasound to assess blood flow and identify narrowed or blocked arteries.
    • CT Angiography (CTA): Provides detailed images of blood vessels and can help with treatment planning.
    • MR Angiography (MRA): Provides vascular imaging without ionising radiation and may be used in selected patients.
    • Catheter Angiography: Provides detailed images of the arterial system and may be performed when considering an endovascular procedure.
    • Intravascular Imaging: Selected endovascular procedures may use technologies such as intravascular ultrasound to assess vessel anatomy and guide treatment.

MediRehab (a chain of Rehab centres, part of MediGence) provides comprehensive tele-rehabilitation services designed to support Peripheral Artery Disease patients in the United Arab Emirates. These services include:

  • Supervised Exercise Therapy: Structured walking programmes can gradually improve walking distance and functional capacity.
  • Structured Home-Based Exercise: Patients who cannot attend supervised programmes may benefit from appropriately designed community- or home-based exercise.
  • Gradual Activity Progression: Increase physical activity according to symptoms, overall health, and guidance from the vascular care team.
  • Walking Training: Incorporate repeated walking periods followed by rest into an appropriate claudication exercise programme.
  • Medicines are selected according to the severity of PAD and the patient's cardiovascular and bleeding risks. Antiplatelet medicines may be used in symptomatic PAD to reduce cardiovascular events. High-intensity statin therapy, blood-pressure treatment, and diabetes management are important components of cardiovascular risk reduction.

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Hospitals for Peripheral Artery Disease in United Arab Emirates

Zulekha Hospital Dubai: Top Doctors, and Reviews
Zulekha Hospital Dubai

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  • A highly skilled multidisciplinary medical staff supports patients through the hospital's advanced diagnostic capabilities, joint replacement surgeries, cardiac catheterisation, neonatal intensive care, and specialised cancer care and rehabilitation services. The hospital uses the latest technology and is internationally accredited for providing quality healthcare based on scientific evidence, providing safe, high-quality care to patients, providing individualised treatment plans, and providing services to international patients.
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Burjeel Medical City: Top Doctors, and Reviews
Burjeel Medical City

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The Hospital owns an International Patient Services Team that is responsible to assist international patients with world-class healthcare, transportation arrangement, accommodation facilities, language interpreters, and much more. 

Burjeel Medical City (about 1.2 million square facilities)provides 7-star hospitality to its patients. It has the largest facility space bed among all the private hospitals. The Hospital consists of-

  • Large waiting areas and consultation rooms 
  • Spacious lobbies on each floor 
  • 338 Luxurious Patient Rooms 
  • 70 Ambulatory Rooms
  • Intensive Care Units
  • The Hospital comprises various centers, under Burjeel Cancer Institute- 
  • Breast Center
  • Uro-oncology Center
  • Surface Malignancy Center (HIPC)
  • Head & Oncology Center
  • Medical Oncology & Hematology Center and others
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Kings College Hospital Dubai: Top Doctors, and Reviews
Kings College Hospital Dubai

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Apart from in-detail treatment procedures available, Kings College Hospital Dubai located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates has a wide variety of facilities available for International Patients. Some of the facilities which are provided by them are Accommodation, Airport Transfer, Choice of Meals, Interpreter, SIM, TV inside room. Also listed below are some of the most prominent infrastructural details:

  • 100 beds in the Hospital
  • Operation Theatres
  • Special Intensive Care Units
  • 24*7 Emergency Department
  • Covid-19 Treatment Clinic
  • Wound & Stoma care center
  • Doctor on call (Telemedicine) is also available
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Why Choose the United Arab Emirates for Peripheral Artery Disease Treatment?

  • Experienced Vascular Specialists: Access to vascular surgeons, interventional radiologists, interventional cardiologists, and other specialists involved in PAD care.
  • Advanced Vascular Diagnostics: Major centres may provide ABI testing, duplex ultrasound, CT angiography, MR angiography, and catheter angiography.
  • Multidisciplinary Care: Vascular specialists, cardiologists, radiologists, wound-care professionals, podiatrists, rehabilitation specialists, and other clinicians may coordinate treatment for complex cases.
  • Personalised Treatment Planning: Treatment can be selected according to symptoms, arterial anatomy, disease severity, cardiovascular risk, and overall health.
  • International Patient Support: Many major UAE hospitals provide assistance with medical records, appointments, treatment coordination, accommodation, and follow-up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Recovery varies according to disease severity and treatment. Symptoms from mild or moderate PAD may improve gradually with structured exercise and risk-factor management, while recovery after angioplasty, stenting, or bypass surgery may take several weeks. Advanced disease involving wounds or tissue damage may require a longer recovery period and ongoing vascular and wound care.

Many people with PAD can walk, and structured walking exercise is an important part of treatment. People with intermittent claudication may experience leg pain during walking that improves with rest. A supervised or structured exercise programme can help improve walking ability. However, severe pain at rest, fo

Many advanced vascular centres in the United Arab Emirates provide ABI testing, duplex ultrasound, CT angiography, MR angiography, catheter angiography, endovascular procedures, surgical bypass, and multidisciplinary limb-care services.

Many major UAE hospitals have international patient departments that help overseas patients with medical records, appointments, treatment coordination, accommodation, interpretation (where available), and follow-up arrangements.

Consider a centre with experienced vascular or endovascular specialists, advanced vascular imaging, access to both endovascular and surgical revascularisation, structured exercise and rehabilitation services, and multidisciplinary wound and foot care. For complex disease, experience with the specific arterial location and treatment being considered is particularly important.

PAD treatment outcomes depend on the location and severity of arterial disease, symptoms, cardiovascular health, the presence of diabetes or kidney disease, limb condition, and the treatment performed. The treating vascular team can discuss expected outcomes and recurrence risk based on the individual case.

Many specialised vascular and cardiovascular centres in the United Arab Emirates have vascular surgeons, interventional specialists, radiologists, and other clinicians experienced in diagnosing and treating PAD using medical, endovascular, and surgical approaches.

Risks depend on the treatment performed. Medicines may cause bleeding or other side effects. Endovascular procedures may involve bleeding, blood-vessel injury, infection, contrast-related complications, clot formation, or re-narrowing of the treated artery. Bypass surgery may involve bleeding, infection, graft complications, cardiovascular complications, or the need for additional procedures.

If a leg or foot suddenly becomes severely painful, cold, pale or blue, numb, weak, or difficult to move, seek emergency medical attention immediately. These symptoms may indicate acute limb ischemia, in which blood supply to the limb is suddenly reduced or blocked. Prompt treatment is essential to protect the limb.

PAD does not usually cause physical deformities when appropriately managed. However, severe or untreated disease can cause chronic wounds, tissue damage, gangrene, or, in advanced cases, limb loss. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can help reduce these complications.

Severe or untreated PAD can lead to non-healing wounds, tissue damage, gangrene, and, in advanced cases, amputation. These complications can cause lasting changes in mobility and physical function. Early diagnosis, cardiovascular risk management, foot care, and revascularisation when indicated can help reduce the risk of limb-related complications.

Untreated PAD can progress and may result in worsening walking limitations, chronic limb-threatening ischemia, non-healing wounds, tissue loss, and increased risk of amputation. PAD is also associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke.

Not all cases can be prevented, but you can reduce risk by avoiding tobacco, maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels, managing diabetes, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, and addressing other cardiovascular risk factors. People with established PAD should also follow recommended foot-care and medical treatment plans.

PAD is more common with increasing age and is strongly associated with risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease, and established cardiovascular disease. Risk can also vary with other health and social factors.

Author

Fauzia Zeb Fatima
Fauzia Zeb Fatima

M.Pharm

4 Years of Experience

Fauzia Zeb is a distinguished medical and scientific content writer with a robust academic foundation in pharmaceutical sciences, holding a B.Pharm and M.Pharm degree from prestigious institutions, including MIT and Jamia Hamdard University. Her comprehensive expertise in pharmacology, clinical sciences, and biomedical research enables her to translate complex medical and scientific concepts into precise, evidence-based content tailored for diverse audiences. Specializing in peer-reviewed articles, clinical blog posts, and research-driven publications, she demonstrates a consistent ability to bridge the gap between advanced medical science and accessible, audience-specific communication. View More

Reviewer

Dr. Nityanand Tripathi
Dr. Nityanand Tripathi

Interventional Cardiologist

29 Years of Experience

With a rich experience of more than 29 years, Dr. Nityanand has gained a vast spectrum of skills and expertise in performing all types of complex cardiac procedures. He is an expert in clinical & interventional cardiology and electrophysiology. He studied his medicine (MBBS) and MD from the Institute of Medical Sciences of Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, and later completed his DM in Cardiology from the prestigious King George Medical University, Lucknow. View More

Last Reviewed - January 2026