If you have diabetes, you are at greater risk of having reduced blood flow to your legs and foot muscles due to fatty blockages that develop with peripheral artery disease, or PAD. If PAD becomes severe, ulcers and gangrene of the legs and feet can occur and, if left untreated, the limbs can be starved of oxygen and may require amputation of toes, a foot or leg.
According to the National Limb Loss Center, people most at risk for amputation due to severe, untreated PAD are:• People with diabetes, particularly those who develop chronic foot ulcers
• People age 65 and older
• Men with PAD, who are more likely to have limb loss than women with the same disease
• People in certain ethnic groups, including African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans, who are at high risk for developing diabetes and PAD