A new study has found that one in five people with narrowing or blockages in the arteries – like peripheral arterial disease (PAD) – also have severe heart disease but without symptoms.

Researchers studied two groups of PAD patients – one received standard care like lifestyle changes and medication, and the other had cardiac imaging of the heart in addition to the standard care. They found that 53 percent of the individuals who had the imaging had at least one significant narrowing of the coronary artery and 21 percent had evidence of asymptomatic but severe coronary artery disease that required additional treatment.

"In PAD patients experiencing no cardiac symptoms, we found a strikingly high rate of severe coronary artery disease," said radiologist Dr Vliegenthart Proenca. "The results of our trial stress that PAD patients without a history of cardiac symptoms should undergo extensive cardiovascular risk factor management."

According to the American Heart Association, as many as 8 million Americans suffer from PAD, which occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries. It usually affects arteries that carry blood to the legs, causing poor circulation, discomfort and pain.

Lifestyle changes like exercising, lowering cholesterol and quitting smoking are among the ways to reduce the progression of PAD, according to the Mayo Clinic. Nutritional supplements containing gingko are also believed to help manage the discomfort associated with the disease.