Merck Manual

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Overview of Functional Peripheral Arterial Disease

By

Koon K. Teo

, MBBCh, PhD, McMaster University

Reviewed/Revised Jul 2023
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Functional peripheral arterial disease is much less common than occlusive peripheral arterial disease Occlusive Peripheral Arterial Disease Occlusive peripheral arterial disease is blockage or narrowing of an artery in the legs (or rarely the arms), usually due to atherosclerosis and resulting in decreased blood flow. Symptoms depend... read more Occlusive Peripheral Arterial Disease . Normally, the arteries of the arms and legs widen (dilate) and narrow (constrict) in response to changes in the environment, such as a change in temperature, changes in blood flow, or signals from the brain. Functional peripheral arterial disease usually occurs when the normal mechanisms that dilate and constrict these arteries are exaggerated. The affected arteries constrict more tightly and more often. These changes in constriction can be caused by

Blood Vessels
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