Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death across the globe, responsible for nearly 18 million fatalities annually. This includes conditions that affect the heart and circulatory system such as strokes, coronary heart disease and heart failure.
Within the UK it is just as deadly, causing around a quarter of all deaths. Therefore, spotting the warning signs before it is too late could be life saving.
Many of us are aware of some of the most common symptoms, such as chest pain. However, others are lesser known and less obvious.
According to some health experts, some warning signs of cardiovascular disease can appear in the feet.
More specifically, these symptoms are telltale signs of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) – a common condition cardiovascular disease where a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries restricts blood supply to leg muscles.
The Cleveland Clinic explains that a “burning or aching pain” in your feet and toes while resting could be a sign of PAD.
This is most likely to occur at night when lying in bed.
You might also experience toe and foot sores that don’t heal, as well as feeling like your skin is cool to the touch on your feet.
The first sign though is often pain, cramping or discomfort in your legs or buttocks that occurs when you are active.
The Advanced Foot and Ankle Centre in the US adds that there are some other signs of PAD that can appear in the feet.
These include thinning or absent hair growth on the legs or feet and changes in toenails, such as thickening, discoloration, or brittleness.
Other symptoms to watch out for are:
- Numbness or weakness in the legs
- Changing skin colour on your legs, such as turning paler than usual or blue – this may be harder to see on brown and black skin
- shiny skin
- In men, erectile dysfunction
- The muscles in your legs shrinking (wasting).
The NHS warns: “The symptoms of PAD often develop slowly, over time.
“If your symptoms develop quickly, or get suddenly worse, it could be a sign of a serious problem requiring immediate treatment.”
You should speak to your GP as soon as possible if you are experiencing these symptoms, the Cleveland Clinic says.
“Early detection of PAD is important so you can begin the right treatments before the disease becomes severe enough to lead to complications like a heart attack or stroke,” it continues.
And in extreme cases people with PAD could need to undergo amputation, but this is not necessary if it is treated quickly.
To reduce your risk of PAD, the NHS recommends:
- Exercising regularly
- Not smoking
- Eating a healthy diet
- Losing weight, if you’re overweight or obese
- Moderating your consumption of alcohol.