title: Prevalence of peripheral arterial disease and related risk factors in Turkish elders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is known that prevalence of peripheral arterial disease being a widespread atherosclerotic vascular disease increases by age. On the other hand, no comprehensive study showing the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease in Turkish elders is seen. In this study, it is aimed to assess prevalence of peripheral arterial disease and related risk factors in Turkish elders in primary health center.
  
  
  METHODS
  507 elderly staying at Narlidere Geriatric Care Center and Residential Home and accepting to participate in the study were included in the study. Epidemiological data for diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease, risk factors, findings of physical examination and ankle brachial index measurements were assessed in the study. Data were analyzed in terms of prevalence of peripheral arterial disease, age and gender relation and other cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the participants, 317 (62.5%) were female. The mean age was 77.61 ± 6.93 years (62-102). The most wide-spread chronic diseases in elderly included hypertension, coronary artery disease, hyperlipidemia and Type 2 DM, respectively. On the other hand, only 7 (1.4%) elderly were diagnosed with peripheral arterial disease. The number of elderly ABI of whom was measured as < 0.90 and sent to cardiovascular surgery polyclinic with the diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease was assessed as 30 (5.9%). Intermittent claudication was seen in about half of these patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peripheral arterial disease is expected to be seen prevailing in elderly. However, it was determined at very low rate before the study due to the fact that the disease cannot be diagnosed clinically especially in early-period. Peripheral arterial disease determined in the study is lower than expected as per the age group. This can be associated with practices of geriatrics nursing and family practice including continuous care to reduce cardiovascular risk factors of patients staying at the unit.
authors.affiliation: Narlidere Geriatric Care Center and Residential Home, Narlidere, Izmir, Turkey. niltekin33@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Nil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tekin
authors.forename: Muammer
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baskan
authors.forename: Teoman
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yesilkayali
authors.forename: Ozalp
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karabay
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology