Prevention

The best way to prevent peripheral vascular disease is to reduce your risk factors. You cannot do anything about some of the risk factors, such as age and family history. Other risk factors are under your control.

• Do not smoke.
  
  
• Eat nutritious, low-fat foods; avoid foods high in cholesterol.
  
  
• Maintain a healthy weight.
  
  
• Engage in moderately strenuous physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day. At least walk briskly for 20-30 minutes daily.
  
  
• Control high blood pressure. 
  
  
• Lower high cholesterol (especially LDL cholesterol or the “bad cholesterol”) and high triglyceride levels, and raise HDL or “the good cholesterol.” If exercise fails to lower your cholesterol, certain medications (statin drugs) can be taken to decrease the bad cholesterol.
  
  
• If you have diabetes, control your blood sugar level and take scrupulous care of your feet. Ask your doctor what your HbA1C is, a measure of how well your blood sugar is controlled; it should be less than 7.0. If it is greater than 8.0, it is not controlled, and your risk of blood vessel complications (eyes, heart, brain, kidneys, legs) escalates.

Smoking is a very strong risk factor for developing peripheral vascular disease and can significantly worsen the disease, especially in diabetics. Quitting smoking can reduce the symptoms of peripheral vascular disease and lower your chance that the disease will get worse.