Alcohol Raises the Risk of Leg Arterial Disease

 Alcohol Raises the Risk of Leg Arterial Disease

Lower extremity arterial disease, or LEAD, also known as peripheral artery disease or peripheral vascular disease of the legs, can be a complication of type 2 diabetes. Sugar-laden blood damages blood vessels, impairing circulation and blood flow. Damaged blood vessels can cause cholesterol, calcium, and red blood cells to build up, forming a clot or thrombus, further reducing the amount of oxygen-rich blood that travels to the legs and feet. Oxygen blood transport through the legs and feet can starve the muscles of oxygen.

Scientists from the PLA General Hospital and several other Chinese research institutes ...

119 participants with diabetes who drank alcohol and 119 no.

Their findings were published in July 2017 in the Journal of Diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes who drink more than 8 international units, equivalent to 10 ml or 2 tablespoons of alcohol a day, have three times the risk of developing LEAD over twenty years than those who do not drink alcohol. The researchers concluded from this data that people with type 2 diabetes should not drink alcohol to reduce the risk of developing any type of peripheral vascular disease in the legs.

There are no early signs or symptoms of LEAD. With normal growth, the legs become cramped because the muscles do not receive enough oxygen. Medications may be prescribed to relieve pain. People with this problem should walk as much as possible. If LEAD is not checked, the tissues of the legs and feet can die, causing the need to…

• bypass surgery
• balloon to open the artery, or
• amputation

To avoid the need for treatment, diabetes should not only avoid alcohol but also take these steps to prevent the condition...

• do not smoke - tobacco constricts blood vessels.
• lower blood sugar with diet, exercise, and medication if necessary.
• control blood pressure with a healthy diet, exercise, and medication if necessary.
• take prescribed cholesterol-lowering medications.

PAD is diagnosed using the ankle-brachial index, abbreviated as ABI. Blood pressure is measured in the arms and legs and the two are compared. Must be the same. If the blood pressure in the legs is lower than in the arms, PAD is likely the cause.

12 million people in the United States suffer from peripheral artery disease in the arms, legs, or both. Worldwide, this condition affected 170 million people in 2015. About 20 percent of diabetics over the age of 40 are estimated to have PAD.