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The chemicals in tobacco smoke harm your blood cells. Smoking can also damage the function of the heart and the structure and function of blood vessels, leading to atherosclerosis and its complications (coronary heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, arrhythmia, peripheral artery disease, and stroke).

Agricultural health is the study of environmental, occupational, dietary, and genetic factors on the health of farmers, farm families, pesticide applicators, and others who work with and are exposed to agricultural chemicals.

To get started and stay active make physical activity part of your daily routine, personalize the benefits, be active with friends and family, make everyday activities more active, reward yourself with time for physical activity, keep track of your progress, be active and safe, and talk with your doctor.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released physical activity guidelines that recommend the types and amounts of physical activity that children and youth age 6 or older, adults, people over the age of 65, women who are pregnant or just had a baby, and other groups can do.

The benefits of regular physical activity outweigh the risks. Rarely, heart problems such as arrhythmias, sudden cardiac arrest, and heart attack may occur in people who already have heart conditions such as coronary heart disease and congenital heart disease. Always ask your doctor about what type and amount of physical activity is safe for you.

Living with peripheral artery disease and its symptoms requires ongoing health care and heart-healthy lifestyle changes. Talk to your doctor about taking part in a supervised exercise program, maintain routine foot care and inspection for sores, and take all medicines as prescribed.

Your doctor will diagnose peripheral artery disease based on your medical and family histories, a physical exam, and results from one or more tests: ankle-brachial index, Doppler ultrasound, treadmill test, magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA), arteriogram, and blood tests.

Peripheral artery disease is more common in blacks than any other racial or ethnic group. The major risk factors for peripheral artery disease include smoking, older age, and diseases and conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, coronary heart disease, stroke, and metabolic syndrome.

Atherosclerosis is the main cause of PAD. Plaque buildup in the arteries is called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a disease in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up on the inner lining of arteries. Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, fibrous tissue, and calcium. In PAD, plaque may reduce or fully block the flow of oxygen-rich blood through arteries to the body’s vital organs and the limbs.

Peripheral artery disease happens when plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to your head, organs, and limbs. Plaque buildup leads to atherosclerosis, which limits oxygen-rich blood flow to your organs and other parts of your body. This Health Topic focuses on peripheral artery disease that affects blood flow to the legs.