title: Use of statins in lower extremity artery disease: a review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lower extremity artery disease (LE-PAD) is one of the most common manifestations of atherosclerosis, particularly in elderly patients, and it is related to a high cardiovascular risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  It is well established that statin therapy is characterized by crucial benefits on cardiovascular system by limiting atherosclerotic progression and reducing cardiovascular events and mortality. A growing body of evidence support efficacy of statins in LE-PAD due to the ability of both reducing cardiovascular risk and improving walking distance and, hence, quality of life. Consequently, statin therapy should be considered in all LE-PAD patients and new LDL-cholesterol targets should be reached.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our opinion is that statin therapy remains still underutilized or with inadequate dosage, so therapy of LE-PAD patients should be improved to obtain all the demonstrated benefits of statins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and Cardiovascular and Immunology Sciences, Federico II University, via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gargiulo
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giugliano
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brevetti
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sannino
authors.forename: Gabriele Giacomo
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Schiattarella
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Serino
authors.forename: Andreina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carbone
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scudiero
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrone
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corrado
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Izzo
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chiariotti
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perrino
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Trimarco
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Esposito
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D035002:Lower Extremity; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors