This week we discuss peripheral artery disease (PAD), a condition affecting blood flow in the peripheral arteries, most commonly in the legs. We cover its symptoms, such as leg pain, skin changes, and slow-healing wounds, as well as the potential risks of untreated PAD, including amputation and cardiovascular complications. We then talk about  treatment options, including medications, lifestyle changes, structured exercise programs, and advanced interventions like revascularization.

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References:

Golledge, J. (2022). Update on the pathophysiology and medical treatment of peripheral artery disease. Nature reviews cardiology, 19(7), 456-474. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41569-021-00663-9

Allison, M. A., Ho, E., Denenberg, J. O., Langer, R. D., Newman, A. B., Fabsitz, R. R., & Criqui, M. H. (2007). Ethnic-specific prevalence of peripheral arterial disease in the United States. American journal of preventive medicine, 32(4), 328-333. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749379706005587

Dean, S. M. (2018). Cutaneous manifestations of chronic vascular disease. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 60(6), 567-579. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033062018300549?via=ihub

Fowkes, F. G. R., Aboyans, V., Fowkes, F. J., McDermott, M. M., Sampson, U. K., & Criqui, M. H. (2017). Peripheral artery disease: epidemiology and global perspectives. Nature Reviews Cardiology, 14(3), 156-170. https://www.nature.com/articles/nrcardio.2016.179

Gerhard-Herman, M. D., Gornik, H. L., Barrett, C., Barshes, N. R., Corriere, M. A., Drachman, D. E., ... & Walsh, M. E. (2017). 2016 AHA/ACC guideline on the management of patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease: executive summary: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation, 135(12), e686-e725. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000470

Related Reading

Umuerri, E. M. (2019). Skin manifestations of peripheral artery disease: Prevalence and diagnostic utility. Journal of Clinical and Preventive Cardiology, 8(3), 121-125. https://journals.lww.com/jcpc/fulltext/2019/08030/skin_manifestations_of_peripheral_artery_disease_.3.aspx