Management of Peripheral Arterial Disease
- Lyn M. Steffen, PhD, MPH, RD,
- Daniel A. Duprez, MD, PhD,
- Jackie L. Boucher, MS, RD, CDE,
- Abby G. Ershow, ScD, RD, FAHA and
- Alan T. Hirsch, MD
Abstract
In Brief
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a common atherosclerotic disease affecting the quality of life of > 8 million Americans. PAD is characterized by atherosclerotic stenoses of arteries that supply the lower extremities and is associated with a marked increase in the short-term risk of heart attack, stroke, amputation, and death. Adherence to pharmacological therapies and modification of lifestyle factors, including increasing moderate physical activity along with supervised exercise, smoking cessation, and a healthy dietary intake, are central to the successful management of PAD. The improvement of an adverse cardiovascular risk profile is a proven and crucial strategy to lower the risk of major morbid and mortal events for individuals with PAD.
Footnotes
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Lyn M. Steffen, PhD, MPH, RD, is an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, in Minneapolis. Daniel A. Duprez, MD, PhD, holds the Donald and Patricia Garofalo Chair in Preventive Cardiology as a professor of medicine, director of research at the Rasmussen Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Center, and is associate director of the Cardiovascular Clinical Trial Center Cardiovascular Division at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine in Minneapolis. Jackie L. Boucher, MS, RD, CDE, is vice president, education, at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation in Minneapolis and an associate editor of Diabetes Spectrum. Abby G. Ershow, ScD, RD, FAHA, is program director (nutrition) in the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Md. Alan T. Hirsch, MD, is a professor of epidemiology and community health at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, and director of the vascular medicine program at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation in Minneapolis.
- American Diabetes Association
