Illustration of how the buildup of lipids cause a blockage of blood flow to the portion of the<unk>  below the narrowing. As previously mentioned, the most common cause of<unk> , especially in patients over 40 years old, is atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a narrowing of the<unk> es caused by lipid or fat build up and calcium deposition in the wall of the affected<unk> es. The most commonly affected site occurs at<unk> al branch points, because there is an increase in turbulence and stress on the<unk>  at these areas where the<unk>  branches to supply distant structures.<unk>  of distant structures, including feet and toes, are usually caused by diabetes and seen in the elderly population. Additional mechanisms of<unk>  including<unk> al spasm, thrombosis, and fibromuscular dysplasia. The mechanism of<unk> al spasm is still being studied, but it can occur secondary to trauma. The symptoms of claudication ensue when the<unk>  spasms, or clamps down on itself, creating an obstruction. Similar to atherosclerosis, this leads to decreased blood flow to the tissue downstream of the obstruction. Thrombosis, or the formation of a blood clot, occurs usually due stasis or trauma. Damage to the lining of the blood vessel begins the process of clot formation. The blood clot ultimately creates a narrowing in the<unk>  preventing adequate blood flow and oxygen to the tissue further down.
Peripheral artery disease
Lumbar spinal stenosis
Chronic venous insufficiency
Varicose veins
Diabetic foot
Spinal stenosis
Diabetic foot ulcer
Raynaud syndrome