Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Treatment in Los Angeles

Peripheral artery disease, or PAD, affects the circulatory system. It develops when narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the limbs, most commonly the legs and feet. It often develops because of atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque inside the arteries. 

At Southern California Vascular Institute, Dr. Amiel Moshfegh diagnoses PAD and treats it with lifestyle guidance, medication, and minimally invasive procedures designed to improve blood flow and relieve symptoms. If you are noticing leg discomfort or other warning signs, care is available at our Los Angeles, Huntington Park, and Bakersfield locations.

What Is Peripheral Artery Disease?

Peripheral artery disease develops when the arteries that carry oxygen-rich blood to your limbs become narrowed, usually by a buildup of fatty plaque called atherosclerosis. As the passageway inside the artery shrinks, less blood reaches the muscles and tissues that depend on it. PAD most often affects the legs, though it can involve arteries in the arms, pelvis, or elsewhere.

PAD is different from a problem with the veins. Arteries carry blood away from the heart, and veins return it. When people have leg symptoms, the cause can be arterial, venous, or both, which is one reason an accurate diagnosis matters so much.

Common Symptoms of PAD

Many people with early PAD have no symptoms at all, which is part of what makes it easy to miss. When symptoms do appear, they commonly include:

  • Leg pain, aching, or cramping when walking that improves with rest, known as claudication
  • Numbness, weakness, or a heavy feeling in the legs
  • Coldness in the lower leg or foot, especially compared with the other side
  •  Skin that looks pale or bluish, or that appears shiny
  • Slow-healing sores or wounds on the feet, toes, or legs
  • Weak or absent pulses in the legs or feet

Symptoms that appear even at rest, or wounds that will not heal, are signs of more advanced disease and should be evaluated promptly. Our dedicated overview of PAD symptoms explains each warning sign in more detail.

What Causes PAD, and Who Is at Risk?

The most common cause of PAD is atherosclerosis, the gradual buildup of plaque inside artery walls. Risk increases with age, particularly when older age is combined with factors such as:

  • Smoking or a history of tobacco use, one of the strongest risk factors for PAD
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • A personal or family history of vascular disease, heart disease, or stroke

Because these same risk factors affect arteries throughout the body, PAD is often a signal of wider cardiovascular risk. Addressing it supports the health of your heart and brain as well as your legs.

Why PAD Should Not Be Ignored

Without appropriate management, PAD can worsen over time. Reduced circulation may contribute to persistent pain, wounds that do not heal, and infection. In advanced disease, severely reduced blood flow can threaten tissue in the foot or leg. Treatment focuses not only on leg symptoms and limb health but also on reducing the cardiovascular risks associated with atherosclerosis.

When PAD Symptoms Need Prompt Medical Attention

PAD symptoms should be evaluated promptly when leg or foot pain begins occurring at rest, a wound is not healing, or a toe or foot develops persistent discoloration. A sudden loss of blood flow is a different emergency. Sudden severe leg pain, a cold or pale limb, new numbness or weakness, or an inability to feel a pulse can indicate acute limb ischemia and requires immediate medical attention.

These symptoms should not be managed by waiting for a routine PAD appointment.

How PAD Is Diagnosed

Diagnosing PAD begins with a review of your symptoms and health history, followed by a physical exam that includes checking the pulses in your legs and feet. From there, testing may be used to confirm the diagnosis and determine where blood flow is reduced. Depending on the patient’s symptoms and treatment needs, evaluation may include:

  • Ankle-brachial index (ABI), which compares blood pressure at the ankle with blood pressure in the arm
  • Duplex ultrasound, which uses sound waves to evaluate blood flow through the arteries
  • CT angiography (CTA) or MR angiography (MRA), which can provide detailed images of the arteries when additional anatomical information is needed
  • Catheter angiography, which may be used when detailed arterial mapping or an endovascular procedure is being considered

A clear diagnosis guides the right treatment plan. Our guide to how PAD is diagnosed walks through each test and what to expect.

PAD Stages

PAD can range from asymptomatic disease to symptoms with walking and, in advanced cases, limb-threatening ischemia. Some patients develop intermittent claudication, while more severe reductions in blood flow can contribute to ischemic rest pain, nonhealing wounds, or tissue loss. Symptoms, examination findings, vascular testing, and the effect on daily function all help determine the appropriate treatment approach.

PAD Treatment Options

Treatment is tailored to the stage of disease, your symptoms, and your overall health. Dr. Moshfegh emphasizes the least invasive approach that is effective for each patient.

Lifestyle and risk-factor management

Quitting smoking, becoming more active through a supervised walking program, and managing diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol can slow PAD and improve symptoms. These steps are the foundation of care at every stage.

Medications

Medication is often an important part of PAD management. Depending on the patient’s medical history and risk profile, treatment may include cholesterol-lowering therapy, antiplatelet medication to reduce cardiovascular and limb-related risk, and medication intended to improve walking symptoms in selected patients. Blood pressure and diabetes management may also be part of the broader cardiovascular treatment plan. Medication decisions are individualized based on the patient’s health history and other medications.

Minimally invasive endovascular procedures

When reduced blood flow warrants intervention, catheter-based procedures may be used to improve blood flow through a narrowed or blocked artery. These include angioplasty, in which a small balloon widens the artery; stenting, which places a small support to keep it open; and atherectomy, which removes plaque. 

These procedures are performed through a small access site rather than a traditional surgical incision and may offer a less invasive treatment option for appropriately selected patients. The best approach depends on the location and extent of disease, symptoms, overall health, and vascular anatomy.

Surgical treatment

For advanced blockages that are not suited to a catheter-based approach, surgical options such as bypass may be considered. Dr. Moshfegh will discuss whether this is appropriate for you.

PAD vs. Other Causes of Leg Pain

Leg pain has many possible sources, and telling them apart is important because the treatments differ. PAD is an arterial problem caused by reduced blood flow into the legs. Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, is a blood clot in a deep vein and is a separate, urgent condition. Chronic venous insufficiency involves weakened vein valves. Because the symptoms can overlap, a proper vascular workup is the reliable way to know what is behind your leg pain. Our comparison of PAD and DVT explains the key differences, and our overview of the vascular causes of leg pain covers the fuller picture.

Why Choose the Southern California Vascular Institute

At Southern California Vascular Institute, care starts with listening. Dr. Amiel Moshfegh and the team take time to understand your symptoms, history, and goals before recommending a plan, and they favor minimally invasive, image-guided procedures where appropriate.

With locations in Los Angeles, Huntington Park, and Bakersfield, specialized PAD care is accessible across the region.

If leg pain, cramping, or a slow-healing wound is affecting your daily life, help is available. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Moshfegh at the Southern California Vascular Institute to find out whether PAD may be the cause and which treatment is right for you.

Frequently Asked Questions About PAD

Is peripheral artery disease serious?

PAD is treatable, but it should be taken seriously. Because PAD reflects disease in the arteries, it is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, and advanced disease can threaten the health of the leg. Identifying PAD allows patients and their physicians to address symptoms, limb health, and cardiovascular risk factors.

Can PAD be treated without surgery?

Yes. Many patients are treated with risk-factor management, structured exercise, and medication. When symptoms or the severity of reduced blood flow make a procedure appropriate, endovascular treatment or surgery may be considered based on the patient's anatomy, disease pattern, overall health, and treatment goals.

What does PAD leg pain feel like?

The classic symptom is cramping or aching in the calf, thigh, or hip that comes on with walking and eases with rest. Some people feel numbness, heaviness, or coldness in the leg instead, and some have no symptoms at all.

How is PAD diagnosed?

Diagnosis usually starts with an exam and an ankle-brachial index test, which compares blood pressure in the ankle and the arm. Ultrasound and, when needed, angiography give a more detailed view of blood flow.

Is PAD the same as a blood clot?

No. PAD is a narrowing of the arteries from plaque buildup. A deep vein thrombosis is a clot in a vein. They are different conditions with different treatments, so an accurate diagnosis is important.

Where can I get PAD treatment in Los Angeles?

Dr. Amiel Moshfegh provides PAD diagnosis and treatment at Southern California Vascular Institute, with locations in Los Angeles, Huntington Park, and Bakersfield. You can schedule a consultation to discuss your symptoms.

Medical Disclaimer: This page is for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with questions about a medical condition.