What Does Peripheral Vascular Disease Look Like? Peripheral vascular disease or PVD is a condition in which the blood vessels to the extremities (arms and legs) become narrowed over time. One of the risk factors for PVD is diabetes. People with diabetes and peripheral vascular disease have a reduced blood flow to the legs, which creates a risk for developing ulcers or gangrene (the death of tissue due to a lack of blood) from infections.