Surgery can be avoided in peripheral arterial disease

Managing hypertension and diabetes is the best medical treatment for peripheral arterial disease and can avert surgery as well as reduce the risk of disability and death. In a clinical review, Burns and colleagues (p 584) review the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of peripheral arterial disease and say it should be managed in primary care. In patients with intermittent claudication, best medical treatment involves stopping smoking, using angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, controlling diabetes and hypertension, taking exercise, reducing cholesterol, and sometimes giving cilostazol. If patients do not respond to best treatments, or have severe disease, the authors say they should be referred to a vascular surgeon.

(Credit: P MARAZZI/SPL)

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Relevant Article

Management of peripheral arterial disease in primary care

Paul Burns, Stephen Gough, and Andrew W Bradbury
BMJ 2003 326: 584-588. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]