康威·哈里斯的PAD故事

For months, 康威哈里斯’ ingrown toenail refused to heal — even after surgery removed part of it.

It was only after doctors performed an 血管成形术, a minimally invasive procedure that opened an artery 和 improved blood flow to his foot, that Harris’ toe finally started healing. 

但一切仍不顺利.

医生诊断哈里斯患有 外周动脉疾病, 或垫, in which the peripheral arteries that carry blood away from the heart to other parts of the body narrow.

“I had never heard about PAD before my diagnosis,哈里斯说。, a 75-year-old retired factory worker living in Durham, 北卡罗莱纳. “When I was finally diagnosed, I thought to myself, ‘Lord, I’m going to have to do something.’”

He did, first seeking guidance from his health care team. A vascular flow test revealed a blockage in his thigh 和 a sore on a toe, leading his primary care doctor to conclude he had no choice but to amputate Harris’ toe or foot.

幸运的是, Harris then saw a cardiologist at Duke University who suggested a more conservative approach: two stents in his right leg 和 血管成形术 in his left leg to improve blood flow. 

The most common type of the condition is lower-extremity PAD, in which blood flow is reduced to the legs 和 feet. 

超过8个.美国有500万人.S. 有垫. People who smoke — like Harris — are twice as likely to have it. 黑人和那些 2型糖尿病 也有更高的风险吗. 心脏病, 高血压 和 高胆固醇 还有其他风险因素吗?.

PAD症状包括灼烧, 疼痛, 抽筋, 麻木, fatigue or discomfort in leg or hip muscles while walking. Pain usually goes away with rest 和 returns when you’re active again.
 
在最严重的情况下, 如果不及时治疗的话, PAD can result in amputation of the leg or feet. Most of the estimated 150,000 leg amputations performed in the U.S. each year are on people with diabetes 和 PAD. But you can ask your doctor about other treatment options, 和 if necessary, get a second opinion.

Despite the risk 和 prevalence of 外周动脉疾病, it continues to be underdiagnosed 和 few doctors screen for it.

When Harris was diagnosed with PAD in 2014, he could barely walk a quarter of a mile before needing to rest. His leg would cramp, nagging him with the sensation of a pulled muscle. 

“Actually, I felt like my calf muscle was about a foot too short,” Harris said.

Since then, Harris has built up his endurance by riding a stationary bike 和 walking daily. 他还注重健康饮食, prioritizing chicken over beef 和 vegetables 和 salads over French fries. 

仍然, health continues to be a challenge for Harris, who had always worked out in the gym, but smoked for 20 years 和 has diabetes. He’s also struggled with 高胆固醇.

2017年，他遭受了一次 心脏病 做了冠状动脉成形术.

Four years later, he was diagnosed with 心房纤颤, an irregular heartbeat, 和 needed a pacemaker to keep his heart working properly.
 
今天, Harris serves on the 美国心脏协会’s Patient Advisory Council, sharing his health journey with many others. Grateful to still have all 10 toes, he encourages people with PAD to persevere with activities — even if it means taking frequent breaks.

“You have to continue to walk 和 walk, stop 和 rest, 和 then push on again,” he said. “It’s a struggle that you have to push through 和 keep going the best that you can.”