Cardiologist warned about the danger of leg pain when walking

Pain in the legs after a long walk can be a sign of atherosclerosis. Such pains, called intermittent claudication, occur due to insufficient blood supply to the muscles during physical exertion and are a symptom of obliterating atherosclerosis of the arteries of the lower extremities. On August 2, Evgeny Kokin, a cardiologist at JSC "Medicine" (Academician Roitberg clinic), PhD, told Izvestia about this.

Kokin explained the characteristic features of pain in atherosclerosis: they appear after walking a certain distance, are localized in the calf muscles and disappear after a few minutes of rest. As the disease progresses, the pain-free distance decreases, and in severe cases, pain can occur even at rest.

The expert emphasized that atherosclerosis is a systemic disease that can affect various arteries of the body. Depending on the location, it manifests itself in various symptoms: from angina pectoris and heart attack with coronary artery disease to dizziness and stroke with atherosclerosis of the cerebral vessels.

"To diagnose atherosclerosis, you need to measure the ankle-brachial index, ultrasound of the arteries and angiography. Risk factors for developing the disease include age, heredity, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and poor nutrition," the specialist added.

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The doctor urged not to ignore the early signs of atherosclerosis, such as increased fatigue, dizziness, or accidentally detected high blood pressure. If symptoms appear, he advises to see a doctor, get checked out, and make lifestyle changes, including quitting smoking and increasing physical activity.

"Atherosclerosis develops unnoticed for years, but it can lead to a heart attack, stroke or gangrene of the leg. Early diagnosis and prevention are the key to a long, healthy life," concluded the cardiologist.

Nutritionist Zainudin Zainudinov pointed out on July 15 that failure to follow proper nutrition in the summer can lead to an exacerbation of cardiovascular diseases, as well as cause fluctuations in blood pressure. Zainudinov added that the risk of food poisoning increases in the heat due to possible violations of food storage conditions.

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