What is peripheral arterial disease?

    Last Updated: October 25, 2023

    Peripheral arterial disease affects approximately 6% of adults globally[1] and is characterized by atherosclerosis (a build-up of fatty plaques in arteries) causing a narrowing or blockage of arteries supplying blood to the limbs, usually the lower limbs.[2][3] Peripheral arterial disease lowers a person’s quality of life (due to pain and poor mobility), increases their risk of requiring a lower limb amputation, and raises their risk of dying from coronary heart disease.[2][3]

    References

    1. ^Song P, Rudan D, Zhu Y, Fowkes FJI, Rahimi K, Fowkes FGR, Rudan IGlobal, regional, and national prevalence and risk factors for peripheral artery disease in 2015: an updated systematic review and analysis.Lancet Glob Health.(2019-Aug)
    2. ^Gerhard-Herman MD, Gornik HL, Barrett C, Barshes NR, Corriere MA, Drachman DE, Fleisher LA, Fowkes FG, Hamburg NM, Kinlay S, Lookstein R, Misra S, Mureebe L, Olin JW, Patel RA, Regensteiner JG, Schanzer A, Shishehbor MH, Stewart KJ, Treat-Jacobson D, Walsh ME2016 AHA/ACC Guideline on the Management of Patients With Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines.Circulation.(2017-Mar-21)
    3. ^Tsao CW, Aday AW, Almarzooq ZI, Alonso A, Beaton AZ, Bittencourt MS, Boehme AK, Buxton AE, Carson AP, Commodore-Mensah Y, Elkind MSV, Evenson KR, Eze-Nliam C, Ferguson JF, Generoso G, Ho JE, Kalani R, Khan SS, Kissela BM, Knutson KL, Levine DA, Lewis TT, Liu J, Loop MS, Ma J, Mussolino ME, Navaneethan SD, Perak AM, Poudel R, Rezk-Hanna M, Roth GA, Schroeder EB, Shah SH, Thacker EL, VanWagner LB, Virani SS, Voecks JH, Wang NY, Yaffe K, Martin SSHeart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2022 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association.Circulation.(2022-Feb-22)