Open AccessPeripheral Arterial Disease—What Do We Need to Know?
Author(s) -
Shanmugasundaram Madhan,
Ram Vinny K.,
Luft Ulrich C.,
Szerlip Molly,
Alpert Joseph S.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
clinical cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.263
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-8737
pISSN - 0160-9289
DOI - 10.1002/clc.20925
Subject(s) - medicine , arterial disease , coronary artery disease , disease , revascularization , demographics , cardiology , peripheral , intensive care medicine , quality of life (healthcare) , clinical trial , vascular disease , medical therapy , physical therapy , myocardial infarction , demography , nursing , sociology
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) results from progressive narrowing of arteries secondary to atherosclerosis and is defined as an Ankle Brachial Index of <0.9. PAD is highly prevalent and is an increasing burden on both the economy and the patient, especially given the rapid shift in demographics in the United States. Despite its prevalence and association with cardiovascular disease, PAD is still underdiagnosed and undertreated. This may, in part, be related to lack of recognition from the physician's side or paucity of evidence from clinical trials. It has been shown that medical therapy approved for cardiovascular disease is effective in the treatment of PAD and decreases cardiovascular events. Various revascularization strategies are also available for improving symptoms and quality of life in these patients, yet they are underutilized. In an attempt to increase its recognition, PAD has been considered a coronary artery disease equivalent. This article reviews the diagnosis and management of PAD. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.