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Health library/Peripheral Arterial Disease

Heart and circulation

Peripheral Arterial Disease

Also known as: PAD

Peripheral arterial disease narrows arteries supplying the limbs, usually the legs. Reduced blood flow can cause activity-related pain and slow wound healing.

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What you may notice

Symptoms can overlap with other conditions and vary between people.

  • Leg pain when walking
  • Cold feet
  • Slow-healing foot wounds
  • Leg or foot numbness

Understanding care

Clinical care may include circulation testing, cardiovascular risk review and supervised management of symptoms or wounds. A qualified clinician decides which investigations and options fit the individual situation.

When to seek help

A newly cold, pale, painful or numb limb needs emergency assessment. Persistent walking pain or a nonhealing foot wound should be reviewed promptly.

For severe breathing difficulty, collapse, suspected stroke, or another emergency, call local emergency services immediately. In India, call 112.

Read the medical sources

These sources support the educational article and offer more detail.

Educational reading · Updated 6 October 2026

Prepared from the linked sources. This summary has not had an independent clinician review. A qualified clinician can assess symptoms and explain which information applies to you.

A child and a caring grown-up reading a picture book together

LITTLE PEOPLE. BIG FEELINGS.

It’s okay to have
a lot of questions.

A doctor visit or an unfamiliar health word can feel scary. You can ask a trusted grown-up to help you understand, one small question at a time.

01

Say how you feel.

“I feel worried” is a good place to start.

02

Ask for simple words.

“Can you explain that in a way I understand?”

03

Bring someone you trust.

A caring adult can help you ask and listen.

For children and their grown-ups. This illustration explains a conversation, not a diagnosis. An adult should seek qualified care for a child who is unwell.

Peripheral Arterial Disease — First AID health library