Apr 2, 2019

In our many years of practicing medicine, we’ve found that there are two medical terms that almost always confuse our patients. The two terms are peripheral artery disease (PAD) and peripheral vascular disease (PVD).

We do understand the confusion. These two terms sound similar, as if they’re describing the same disease or medical condition. It’s easy to mistake one term for the other, and use them as if they mean exactly the same thing.

In this article we’ll explain what these two terms really mean, and what makes them different from one another. We do this because we’ve noticed that NOT knowing the difference can cause people problems when they start looking things up on the Internet, or searching for the right type of doctor to treat their circulatory problems.

The difference between peripheral artery disease and peripheral vascular disease – the short, sweet explanation

It’s pretty simple, actually:

  • Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is the name of one specific disease, a condition that affects only arteries, and primarily the arteries of the legs.
  • Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a generic “umbrella term” that describes a large number of circulatory diseases. These diseases affect not only arteries but also veins and lymphatic vessels. They can also appear in locations other than the legs, including the arms, neck, and face.