title: Pharmacological treatment and current management of peripheral artery disease.
abstract: Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) are at heightened risk of both systemic cardiovascular adverse events, as well as limb-related morbidity. The optimal management of patients with PAD requires a comprehensive treatment strategy incorporating both lifestyle changes, including smoking cessation and exercise, as well as optimal medical therapy. Pharmacological therapies for patients with PAD are targeted both at modifying broad risk factors for major adverse cardiovascular events, as well as reducing limb-related morbidity. Observational data suggest that indicated pharmacological treatments are greatly underutilized in PAD, underscoring the need for improvements in patient identification and care delivery. Ongoing trials of novel therapies in patients with PAD will further inform pharmacological strategies to reduce both systemic cardiovascular risk and limb-related morbidity.
authors.affiliation: From the Vascular Medicine Section, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. mbonaca@partners.org.
authors.forename: Marc P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Bonaca
authors.affiliation: From the Vascular Medicine Section, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Creager
mesh_terms: D000069059:Atorvastatin; D015444:Exercise; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008019:Life Style; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D019821:Simvastatin
keywords: medical therapy; peripheral artery disease