What are common symptoms of PAD?

• A. Chest pain with exertion
• B. Shortness of breath at rest
• C. Frequent headaches
• D. Intermittent claudication, painful leg cramps, numbness, and pale legs

Answer: (D)

Talk about PAD focus on blood flow to the legs. Peripheral arterial disease causes reduced blood flow due to narrowed leg arteries from atherosclerosis, especially during activity when muscles need more oxygen. The most characteristic and common symptoms are those showing ischemia in the legs: intermittent claudication (pain or cramping in the legs with walking that improves with rest), painful leg cramps, numbness, and pale legs from reduced perfusion. Intermittent claudication is the hallmark sign because the muscle can’t get enough oxygen during exertion, leading to familiar cramping that disappears with rest. Numbness reflects sensory nerves not getting enough blood, and pallor of the legs indicates poor perfusion and vasomotor changes when the legs are elevated.

The other options don’t fit PAD’s typical presentation: chest pain with exertion signals heart-related angina rather than leg ischemia; shortness of breath at rest points to heart failure or lung disease; frequent headaches aren’t a feature of limb arterial insufficiency.