What is critical limb ischemia?
Critical limb ischemia is an acute stage of peripheral arterial disease - in this diagnosis, the process of blood flow to the limbs is severely blocked, clogged.
Peripheral artery disease is caused by the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries. The risk of heart complications is significantly increased. Some patients require amputation for treatment.
Anyone with a diagnosis of peripheral artery disease can develop critical limb ischemia. The risk increases with age.
Other risk factors include:
- Chronic kidney disease;
- Diabetes;
- High blood pressure;
- High cholesterol;
- Tobacco use.
The most common symptom of critical limb ischemia is intense leg pain. Often, the pain is so severe that it wakes a person up at night.
Other symptoms may include:
- Cold extremities;
- Legs that feel hairless, shiny, or dry;
- Weakness in the leg or inability to feel the pulse in the limb;
- Numbness in the limb;
- Slow-healing ulcers on the limb;
- Discoloration of the skin due to gangrene;
- Thick toenails.
Source:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23120-critical-limb-ischemia
