Pathophysiology for peripheral vascular disease

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Mar 29, 2016

Google has the answers you seek.[emoji3]

xxMichelleJxx · Mar 29, 2016

So pretty much PVD is when there's buildup of plaque, fatty deposits and cholesterol along the lining of blood vessels. Our vessels are like a straw with blood flowing through them. If something were to get stuck in the straw, there's now an occlusion and it's going to be hard or impossible for you to drink out of it. Similarly, in PVD the buildup of fat and plaque along the intima of the vessels will build up and eventually cause either partial or a full on occlusion. If the patient has a partial occlusion, then the tissues are not being adequately perfused. Meaning enough blood isn't getting to that area. Initially the pt may not present with any synonyms. Then in stage 2 usually they experience intermittent caludication. So pretty much they get pain when they do physical activity. The pain usually goes away in a couple of minutes when they rest. In stage 3 the pt can have pain during rest when they're not even doing anything. Their extremities (typically they feet) will be cold to touch and pale. They may even have paresthesias. That's when they feel numbness or a tingling sensation in their feet. In some cases like in stage 4 the patient may get ulcers and breaks in their skin because of the extreme lack of tissue perfusion.

A total occlusion of a vessel would present as a thrombus or a emboli. So like a stroke (cerebral emboli) or a MI (heart attack) if there's a break off of the clot/plaque and if it gets stuck in the coronary vessels

Hope this helps!

I'll post some links that can help you as well

Medscape: Medscape Access

Peripheral Artery Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Treatment | Revista Espanola de Cardiologia (English Edition)