Blood through the arteries from the heart to all organs and tissues, giving oxygen and nutrients and taking away the products of metabolism. Peripheral arteries - the arteries of the lower and upper extremities. Most often, when atherosclerosis and other pathological conditions of peripheral arteries affects the arteries of the lower extremities.
The main symptom of disease of the arteries of the lower extremities is a pain in the legs when walking. Pain may occur in the thighs, buttocks, knees, legs and feet, depending on the level of arterial leg. The incidence of peripheral arterial disease increases with age. At every third elderly person over 70 years have a disease of the arteries of the lower extremities. Smoking and diabetes are several times increases the risk of this disease.
The most important vessel in the body is the aorta, which departs from the heart and in the very bottom of the forks into two parts, which are called the iliac arteries. Further, these arteries are divided into the femoral, which supply blood to the legs until the fingertips.
Normally, the inner wall of the arteries smooth. However, with age as the formation on their inner wall of atherosclerotic plaque, the artery narrows and blood flow to the lower extremities worse. This atherosclerotic plaques are composed of cholesterol, calcium and fibrous tissue. The more of these plaques, the more pronounced narrowing of the arteries and the more the manifestation of their disease. In the end, developing such a condition as chronic arterial insufficiency, which means a lack of arterial blood flow to tissues.
