Risk Factors for PAD
The number one risk factor for PAD is smoking, which directly damages the arterial walls leading to the buildup of plaque. Smoking has been shown to increase the risk of PAD by 30 to 50 percent.
The second highest risk factor is increasing in age. The longer we live, the more time we have for our arteries to become damaged. Approximately 1 in 20 Americans over 50 years of age have PAD.
People with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), whcih is the vuildup of plaque within the arteries of the heart, are also likely to have PAD.
Significant risk factors for PAD are:
- Diabetes
- High Blood Pressure
- High Cholesterol
- Stroke
- Family history of PAD, heart disease, and/or stroke
- High levels of homocystin (question for Banerjee)