What is the incidence of peripheral artery disease in the United States?

It is very common. Most of time, people do not even realize they have a problem. They just think the inability to walk is due to arthritis or different things, but it is a global disease. It involves stroke, heart attack, and also arterial disease in the legs, which prevents people from walking.

Do patients present with different symptoms?

Yes. Everybody presents a little different. Some people will get charley horses in their muscles that are due to the lack of blood flow distribution, and some people will become weak.

What causes it?

Wherever the blockage is, the muscle group right below that blockage when it starts to work requires oxygen to keep working like it normally does. When it does not get that because of the blockage, then it starts cramping.

What has the standard treatment been up to this point?

There has been treatment that involves balloon angioplasty stent placement and surgery.