Survey: PAD symptoms common in US adults

Forty-three percent of Americans aged 40 years and older have experienced at least one common symptom of peripheral arterial disease, according to results of a recent survey.

Most of the adults who responded to the survey, however, were unfamiliar with PAD and did not visit a doctor after experiencing symptoms, according to a press release.

The survey, conducted online by Harris Poll and sponsored by Covidien, was sent to 2,017 US adults in September. The survey population included 1,393 participants aged 40 years and older. Among those aged 40 years or older, 63% indicated never hearing of PAD, and 34% of those who experienced symptoms reported discussing them with a physician, according to the release.

The most commonly reported PAD symptoms among participants aged 40 years or older included fatigue while walking or climbing stairs (20%), pain while walking or climbing stairs (17%) or pain that disturbed sleep (16%). Respondents in this age group indicated that their symptoms impacted daily life in 42% of cases, with 27% reporting an inability to exercise as much or at all, 17% indicating having to spend more time at home and 15% reporting weight gain as a result of their symptoms, according to the release.

“PAD can be difficult to recognize and diagnose, and adults often dismiss symptoms of PAD as normal signs of aging,” Mark Turco, MD, chief medical officer of vascular therapies at Covidien, stated in the release. “However, it is important for individuals to talk to their doctor about the symptoms and risks of PAD.”