Peripheral Artery Disease

Classic claudication symptoms occur in as few as 10% of individuals with peripheral artery disease (PAD), and approximately 60% are asymptomatic (Figure 1).

An ankle–brachial index (the ratio of the systolic blood pressure in the ankle to the systolic blood pressure in the arm) of less than 0.90 is 72 to 89% accurate for diagnosing PAD.

Population studies have shown higher 10-year cardiovascular mortality among persons with PAD than among those without the condition for both men (19% vs. 4%) and women (13% vs. 4%).

Treatment includes intensive cholesterol-lowering medications (such as statins), antiplatelet medications with or without rivaroxaban, and blood-pressure lowering to less than 130/80 mm Hg. Semaglutide and sodium–glucose …