The Hidden Connection Between
Your Veins and Your Heart Health
Understanding Peripheral Arterial Disease
By John Hogg, MD, DABR, DABVLM, RPVI, RPhS, RVT, RVS
Founder, Medical Vein Clinic
During Heart Health Month, people usually focus on diet, exercise, and cholesterol, which are all important for your heart. But your circulatory system health is often overlooked. For women juggling work, family, and daily life, understanding how your arteries and veins affect your heart can help you stay energetic and healthy.
A Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight
Peripheral artery disease, PAD, happens when the arteries supplying blood to the legs and arms become narrowed or blocked due to a buildup of plaque in the artery walls. As a result, blood flow is reduced, which doubles your chance of having a heart attack or stroke. PAD affects 8 to 10 million adults in the U.S., but it often goes unnoticed, especially in women. Leg pain can be a signal that your heart needs attention.
Why Women’s Symptoms May Get Dismissed
Women often face special challenges in getting diagnosed with PAD, which can have serious consequences.
Women may have milder symptoms than men, like general leg weakness, a level of tiredness that doesn’t match your physical exertion, and/or unusual discomfort. Doctors may mistakenly attribute the source of pain to be arthritis, lack of exercise, or stress or other non-cardiac causes.
Research shows a troubling pattern. Women with PAD are often diagnosed later, receive less aggressive treatment, and have worse outcomes than men with the same condition.
Warning Signs Your Body Is Trying to Tell You Something
At Medical Vein Clinic, we’ve created a self-assessment quiz to help you recognize potential warning signs of PAD. Count how many of these apply to you before your doctor visit:
Do your legs feel weak, heavy, or do you experience painful cramping in your hips, thighs, or calf muscles when walking, which improves with rest?
Do you experience leg pain that wakes you up at night or disturbs your sleep?
Are your toes or feet pale, discolored, or darkened?
Do you have sores or wounds on your legs or feet that are slow to heal or don’t heal at all?
Is one leg or foot consistently colder than the other?
If you notice these symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor. Do not assume they are just a normal part of aging.
Know Your Risk Factors
You’re at increased risk for PAD if you:
Smoke or have a history of smoking
Have diabetes
Have high blood pressure.
Have high cholesterol
Have chronic kidney disease
Are over 60 years of age
Have a family history of PAD or cardiovascular disease.
Are of Hispanic or Black heritage
The more risk factors you have, the more important it is to ask your primary care doctor to refer you for an artery screening. Each risk factor is like a brick in a backpack. The more bricks you have, the heavier it feels, so try to address them before it becomes overwhelming.
Screening and Treatment: What to Expect
The specialists at Medical Vein Clinic can check your arteries with simple, non-invasive tests. The ankle-brachial index only takes a few minutes and does not hurt. Ultrasound mapping will show where blood flow is limited. Advanced imaging can find blockages that need treatment.
If caught early, PAD can often be managed with changes in lifestyle and medicines like cholesterol-lowering drugs, blood thinners, and blood pressure medicine.
For more serious cases, our board-certified vascular surgeon, Dr. Thomas Gianis II, can do minimally invasive procedures in our modern medical suites. Angioplasty with stenting opens blocked arteries, and bypass procedures create new paths for blood flow.
We do these procedures often for patients with PAD and they experience great results.
Prevention and Early Detection Save Lives
February is National Heart Month, making it a good time to focus on your heart health. Your heart affects your whole body, including your legs. Try to pick at least one heart-healthy habit by March 1st.
If you smoke, quitting is one of the best choices you can make. Smoking is a major risk for PAD. Every cigarette damages your blood vessels and makes artery narrowing happen faster.
Stay as active as you can. Exercise helps your blood flow, but if walking causes a lot of pain, do not force yourself. See a doctor instead. Once PAD is treated, you can get back to enjoying exercise.
Eat a diet that is good for your heart. Add more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats to your meals. Try to eat less processed food, saturated fat, and salt.
Manage any long-term health issues. Work with your doctor to control diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Keep an eye on your health numbers. Regular check-ups for blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar are important.
The Bigger Picture
Heart Health Month is a good time to remember that healthy veins matter for your heart and your overall well-being. For women in San Antonio who work, care for families, and support their communities, your health is the foundation for everything you do.Paying attention to symptoms, knowing your risks, and acting quickly to protect your arteries can help you stay healthy and active.
Dr. John Hogg, MD, DABR, DABVLM, RPVI, RPhS, RVT, RVS, is a board-certified radiologist specializing in Vascular and Interventional Radiology and CEO/Founder of Medical Vein Clinic. With more than 30 years of experience, Dr. Hogg has established San Antonio’s leading vascular treatment clinic, helping thousands of patients since 2017. Visit medicalveinclinic.com.
