Peripheral Artery Disease: A Silent Threat in Southeast Missouri

6/17/2025

By Dr. Shazib Sagheer, M.D., Interventional Cardiologist, Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common yet often underrecognized vascular condition affecting over 8.5 million Americans, with incidence sharply increasing among those over 65. In Southeast Missouri, particularly around Poplar Bluff, the burden of PAD risk is high due to elevated rates of smoking, diabetes, and limited access to vascular care. As an interventional cardiologist at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, I see firsthand how PAD silently advances in our community, often undiagnosed until it becomes limb- or life-threatening.

Understanding PAD

PAD is caused by atherosclerosis—plaque buildup in peripheral arteries, most commonly in the legs—resulting in reduced blood flow. Early symptoms include claudication, or leg pain during walking, but the disease may progress silently. Nationally, only 10–30% of people with PAD experience classic claudication symptoms; the majority are either asymptomatic or misattribute leg discomfort to aging or arthritis.

If left untreated, PAD can advance to critical limb ischemia (CLI)—a severe form marked by rest pain, non-healing wounds, or gangrene. Approximately 10–20% of PAD patients progress to CLI within five years. In rural and underserved areas, this rate can be higher due to delays in diagnosis and treatment.

PAD in Southeast Missouri: A Growing Concern

Southeast Missouri ranks among the top 25% nationally for cardiovascular disease prevalence, with smoking rates exceeding 22%, compared to the national average of 14%. Additionally, diabetes affects 14–16% of adults in our region, above the U.S. average of 11.3%. Both smoking and diabetes are major contributors to PAD.

A CDC study on the Mississippi Delta region, which includes parts of Southeast Missouri, identified higher PAD-related amputation rates than the national average. Nationwide, PAD leads to approximately 150,000 lower-limb amputations annually. Alarmingly, up to 50% of patients undergoing amputation never had a prior diagnostic vascular evaluation—a gap we are working hard to close in Poplar Bluff.

The Cost of Delay: Amputation Risk

Without proper intervention, PAD can lead to amputation. 25% of patients with CLI require major limb amputation within one year if not revascularized.

• After major amputation, 5-year mortality rates exceed 50%, surpassing many cancers.
• Early diagnosis and intervention can reduce amputation rates by 90%.

How We’re Addressing PAD in Poplar Bluff

At Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, we offer many PAD services, including:

• Noninvasive screening: ankle-brachial index (ABI), segmental pressures, arterial Doppler studies
• Advanced imaging: CT angiography and catheter-based angiography
• Endovascular treatment: balloon angioplasty, stent placement, atherectomy, and intravascular imaging-guided therapy
• Collaborative care: working closely with primary care, endocrinology, podiatry, and wound care specialists for holistic management

Know the Signs. Take Action.

At Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, we want to educate patients and increase screening with one goal in mind: to preserve limbs and save lives through early recognition and treatment. While many may believe PAD is just an aging-related nuisance, it isn’t—it’s not only a marker of systemic vascular disease and a predictor of heart attack and stroke, it is treatable if identified early. Risk factors include a history of smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Symptomatic patients may experience leg pain while walking, foot wounds that don’t heal or cold, numb feet.

Timely identification is essential to successfully treating PAD – if you’re at risk, don’t wait to get screened.

To schedule a PAD screening or learn more about our vascular program, call Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center at (573) 778-2600 or visit www.pbrmc.com/vascular-medicine-heart-care.

Shazib Sagheer, M.D., an interventional cardiologist with Regional Physician Services, specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of complex vascular disease and heart disease. He is committed to advancing cardiovascular health in Southeast Missouri through education, prevention, and safe, quality care. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Sagheer, visit RegionalPhysicianServices.com and click “Providers.”

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