TRAVERSE CITY -- In this week's Matters of the Heart we learn about Peripheral Arterial Disease.  It's a condition in which the arteries of the legs become blocked with plaque.  When this happens, blood flow is reduced to the legs and can cause pain when a person walks.

It the advanced stages PAD can cause sores or ulcers on the legs and feet and that can eventually lead to in some cases, amputation.

PAD is also associated with a five to six times higher risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke.

During the segment we also meet a Traverse City woman who didn't realize she had PAD until simply walking became a daily challenge.

For more information about PAD check out Munson Medical Center's website.