How to manage PAD with diabetes

If you have needed an amputation as a result of PAD and diabetes, you may be eligible to claim for compensation. We are a claims management company and receive payment from our partnered law firms. If your free claim assessment is successful, you will be connected to a specialist law firm. 

Medically Reviewed by Mr Jonothan Earnshaw MBBS DM FRCS, Consultant Vascular Surgeon.

What is PAD?  

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), or Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD), happens when fatty deposits build up in the arteries. This buildup reduces blood flow to the muscles in the legs. 

PAD can cause symptoms like leg pain when walking, also known as intermittent claudication. In severe cases, it can lead to complications like critical limb ischemia or cardiovascular disease. 

Diabetes and PAD 

Many people with PAD have no symptoms. However, some may develop intermittent claudication which is a painful ache in their legs when they walk.However, this usually disappears after a few minutes’ rest. 

PAD also raises your risk for diabetes, and diabetes raises your risk for PAD.   

Diabetes is a condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high. About 20%-30% of people diagnosed with PAD also have diabetes. Diabetes not only raises your risk of getting PAD, it also can worsen symptoms and bring them on more quickly.  

Why does diabetes cause PAD?

PAD occurs when the arteries narrow, reducing blood flow to the legs and feet. Diabetes significantly increases the risk of PAD due to its impact on blood vessels. High blood sugar levels damage the lining of blood vessels over time, causing them to become inflamed and less flexible. This makes it easier for fatty deposits (plaques) to build up, leading to a condition called atherosclerosis.

In addition, diabetes can cause poor circulation by damaging nerves and reducing the body’s ability to repair blood vessels. These factors contribute to restricted blood flow in the limbs, making diabetics more susceptible to PAD. If left untreated, PAD can lead to serious complications, including chronic pain, ulcers, infections, and, in severe cases, amputation.

Source: (NIH)

PAD diagnosis and treatment  

PAD is not immediately life-threatening. However, the process of atherosclerosis that causes it can lead to serious and potentially fatal problems. These include cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease, stroke, heart attack, angina) and critical limb ischaemia (CLI).

Timely diagnosis and treatment is crucial. An angioplasty or bypass graft is usually recommended if you have CLI, although these may not always be successful or possible. 

In a few cases, an amputation below the knee may be required. It is often that at this point we are contacted by clients to investigate potential clinical negligence claims.  

How to ease the symptoms of PAD  

Even if you are diagnosed with both diabetes and PAD, certain lifestyle changes can ease the symptoms of PAD and reduce the chances of it getting worse. 

• Quit smoking: Smoking damages blood vessels and reduces blood flow. Quitting is essential to improving circulation. 

• Attend annual diabetes checks: Your GP surgery will examine your feet for signs of neuropathy and vascular disease, helping to catch problems early. 

• Practice good foot care: Wear well-fitted shoes, use moisturiser to keep your skin soft, and report any skin breaks or infections immediately to your GP. If you develop new sores or skin breakdowns, seek an urgent referral to a multidisciplinary foot clinic. 

• Adopt a balanced diet: Focus on managing blood sugar levels, reducing cholesterol, and lowering blood pressure by eating healthily and avoiding saturated fats and excess sodium. 

• Engage in regular exercise: Moderate activity, such as walking for 30 minutes three times a week, can improve circulation. Rest when you feel pain, then continue when it eases. 

• Manage blood pressure and cholesterol: Your GP may prescribe statins or aspirin to help lower cholesterol and thin your blood, which improves circulation. 

• Take prescribed medications: Follow your treatment plan for diabetes, high blood pressure, or any other related conditions. 

Expert comment

“Control of diabetes is fundamental. It is well known that all the complications of diabetes occur earlier and deteriorate more quickly in patients with poor diabetic control (raised glucose). Diabetic patients must take responsibility for good control. They should test themselves regularly (check their blood sugar), and report to their GP initially if control is poor. Most diabetic patients will have a team supporting them: GP, nurse specialists at the surgery, endocrine clinic. It is usually possible to get good control with medicines – oral hypoglycaemics and/or insulin. Special monitoring devices through a mobile phone may help in difficult cases. It is well worth getting this right for the reasons above.”  For advice on making a clinical negligence claim, speak to our team today. You can call us on 0330 013 0249 or contact us online.