What disease primarily affects medium and small arteries in the limbs of young male heavy smokers?

Thromboangiitis obliterans, also known as Buerger's disease, is a condition that specifically targets the medium and small arteries in the limbs, particularly in young male heavy smokers. The disease is characterized by vasculitis, leading to inflammation and thrombosis (clotting) within the affected vessels, which can ultimately result in tissue ischemia and pain.

The primary association with heavy smoking highlights the risk factors involved in thromboangiitis obliterans. Unlike other vascular conditions, this disease has a strong link to tobacco use and typically occurs in younger individuals, making it somewhat unique among vascular diseases. The symptoms it produces include claudication, rest pain, and ulcers or gangrene in severe cases due to inadequate blood supply.

Understanding the context of other conditions, atherosclerosis generally affects larger arteries and is more common in older adults, often related to systemic risk factors like cholesterol and hypertension rather than just smoking. Raynaud's disease is a different vascular condition focused on smaller arteries, leading to episodic ischemia but not specifically linked to smoking nor affecting primarily young men. Peripheral artery disease, while encompassing disease of limb arteries, often involves larger vessels and develops over years, largely due to atherosclerotic changes rather than