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Everyone is different, and it's difficult to say what will happen to you. Your symptoms may reduce on their own, they may stay the same, or they may gradually get worse.

If you have peripheral arterial disease you're more likely to have a heart attack or a stroke. Your legs may also get badly damaged.

Here's what we know from the research:^{1 2}

• About 1 in 7 people who have pain in their calf when they exercise get very bad damage to the arteries to their leg. If this happens, you may need to have your leg amputated.
• Over a period of five years, 1 in 5 people with pain in their calf when they exercise have a heart attack or a stroke.
• People with peripheral arterial disease are two to three times more likely to die than people who don't have this condition.
• About 3 in 10 people with peripheral arterial disease die within five years of having the disease diagnosed. About 7 in 10 die after 15 years. Mostly, people die because of heart disease or a stroke.

These figures may sound alarming. But remember that the research can't say what will happen to you as an individual. Treatment may help improve your symptoms, reduce your chances of having a heart attack or a stroke, and stop your condition from getting worse.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.