Circulation Foundation believe we could reduce number of patients undergoing leg amputation and detect heart disease earlier if diagnosis and treatment of Peripheral Arterial Disease (a hardening or blockage of arteries in the legs) were given higher priority by the NHS and there was better public awareness. Each year 5,000 leg amputations are carried out in England and Wales, the majority of which are caused by PAD, but there are currently no national clinical standards for doctors to follow and public awareness is low.
