What is peripheral artery disease (PAD)?

• A. A condition characterized by decreased blood flow due to venous pooling.
• B. A disease caused by infection of the arterial walls.
• C. A disease caused by atherosclerosis or narrowing of arteries in the extremities, leading to decreased blood flow.
• D. A rare genetic disorder causing arterial allergies.

Answer: (C)

Peripheral artery disease is a condition in which the arteries outside the heart and brain become narrowed, usually by atherosclerosis, leading to reduced blood flow to the limbs. This diminished perfusion explains symptoms like leg claudication with activity and, in more advanced cases, slower wound healing or ulcers. The key idea is narrowing of arteries in the extremities causing less blood supply, not problems with veins, infections of the arteries, or unrelated rare conditions. Other choices describe venous pooling, arterial infection, or unrelated genetic issues, which do not account for the common mechanism and presentation of PAD.