title: Medical therapy for peripheral arterial disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is underdiagnosed, undertreated, and increasing in prevalence. Continued advances in understanding atherosclerosis, pathophysiology of vascular disease and risk factor modification emphasize the importance of a complete medical regimen. With the recently changed guidelines for PAD suggesting screening patients at an earlier age and the known benefits of using preventive therapies for PAD, this is the perfect time to review recent information and research on medical therapy for PAD, both for symptomatic patients and for secondary prevention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PAD is a manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis. With the recent update of the ACC/AHA guidelines for the management of PAD, risk factor modification continues to be a major focus. Smoking is one of the most important modifiable risk factors in patients with PAD. New recommendations and therapeutic options exist for assisting patients in smoking cessation. Additionally, new evidence continues to support controlling hypertension, controlling lipids and use of antiplatelet agents. Evidence continues to evolve about the evidence of exercise therapy in symptomatic and asymptomatic PAD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PAD is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Medical therapy is targeted toward systemic atherosclerosis and risk factor modification. Exercise therapy is the most studied and validated therapy for symptomatic peripheral arterial disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Mid America Cardiology, University of Kansas Hospital, Kansas City, Kansas, USA. asimmons2@mac.md
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simmons
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Steffen
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sanders
mesh_terms: D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000188:drug therapy; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016540:Smoking Cessation
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors