They’re less frequent than diabetic ulcers, but how concerned should we be about arterial ulcers (ischemic ulcers)?… Atherosclerosis is the major cause of peripheral arterial disease. This reduces the arterial blood flow to the lower extremities. The lumen of the arteries become occluded and the extremity becomes ischemic. Most ulcers develop due to a traumatic event to the ischemic leg or foot. However, skin breakdown can occur spontaneously … Risk factors for arterial ulcers include hyperlipidemia, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, advanced age and post trauma to the foot or leg … Arterial ulcers are usually located on the top of the toes, over the phalangeal heads … read more