Diabetes and Peripheral Artery Disease: How Diabetes Affects Your Circulation

Maybe your calves ache halfway through a walk around the block. Maybe a small blister on your foot is taking weeks to heal. It’s easy to write these off as part of getting older. If you have diabetes, though, they can be signs your circulation needs attention. At Coastal Vascular & Vein Center, we help patients in the Charleston area and across South Carolina protect their blood flow and their legs. This Diabetes Awareness Month, here’s what you should know about the link between diabetes and peripheral artery disease (PAD).

How diabetes affects your circulation

Over time, high blood sugar damages the inner lining of your blood vessels. That makes it easier for plaque (a buildup of fat and cholesterol) to collect on artery walls. When this narrows the arteries in your legs and feet, it’s called peripheral artery disease. The American Diabetes Association estimates that about 1 in 3 people with diabetes over age 50 have PAD.

Diabetes affects your circulation in a few ways:

• Narrowed arteries: Plaque limits how much oxygen-rich blood reaches your legs and feet.
• Nerve damage: Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage from high blood sugar) can dull pain, so you may miss a cut or early symptoms.
• Slower healing: With less blood flow, small wounds take longer to close and are more likely to get infected.

Warning signs of PAD

Leg pain when walking Many people with PAD feel claudication (cramping or aching in the calves, thighs, or hips during activity that eases with rest).

Changes in your feet and legs Watch for:

• Cold feet or toes
• Wounds that won’t heal
• Pale or bluish skin
• Numbness in feet or legs

Sometimes, no symptoms at all Diabetes can mask PAD, so many people don’t notice it until it’s advanced. That’s why screening matters.

Protecting your circulation

You have more control than you might think. Small daily habits go a long way:

• Check your feet every day for cuts, blisters, redness, or color changes.
• Keep your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol in your target range.
• If you smoke, talk to your doctor about quitting. Smoking is one of the biggest risk factors for PAD.
• Walk regularly. Staying active helps your body build new pathways for blood flow.

If PAD is found, our vascular specialists offer minimally invasive treatments to restore blood flow, along with in-house wound care for sores that are slow to heal.

Listen to your legs

Your legs often tell you something is wrong before anything else does. Catching PAD early can prevent serious complications, including amputation, and lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. Contact Coastal Vascular & Vein Center today at 843-577-4551 to schedule a PAD screening. Taking care of your circulation now keeps you moving for years to come.