Peripheral Arterial Disease Blog

Aspirin Lowers Stroke Risk in Peripheral Artery Disease

Posted 3+ months ago by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, May 12 – There haven't been enough studies to tell whether aspirin reduces the risk of heart attack and death for people with the blocked leg blood vessel condition called peripheral arterial disease, but it does cut the incidence of stroke, researchers report.

The finding comes from a meta-analysis of the not-too-many studies of aspirin use with peripheral arterial disease (PAD); it appears in the May 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

It's not clear why PAD has been a neglected subject, said study co-author Dr. Mori J. Krantz, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Colorado. "PAD is the unloved stepchild of atherosclerosis, in that it has been understudied." Read more...

Related support groups: Peripheral Arterial Disease

With Peripheral Artery Disease, Med Adherence Is Low

Posted 3+ months ago by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, April 24 – Less than half of those who have peripheral artery disease are taking the recommended combination of medications to control it, new research says.

Researchers collected data on 711 people with peripheral artery disease who had vascular surgery at 11 hospitals in the Netherlands in 2004. Three years later, 465 of the surviving 552 patients answered a questionnaire about their medication use.

About half were taking the guideline-recommended medical therapy, a combination of aspirin and statins in all patients and beta blockers in those who also had ischemic heart disease, said study author Dr. Don Poldermans, of the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam. Read more...

Related support groups: Peripheral Arterial Disease

Study Questions Screening for Leg Vessel Blockages

Posted 3+ months ago by Drugs.com

MONDAY, March 16 – Some people considered normal under current screening guidelines for peripheral artery disease (PAD) may be at high risk for loss of mobility, according to a U.S. study.

Peripheral arterial disease, which involves narrowed vessels in the lower extremities, can sometimes lead to severe obstructions, known as critical limb ischemia (CLI), a condition in which decreased blood flow causes pain and skin ulcers.

The new study found that people with borderline or low-normal ankle brachial index (ABI) – the ratio of systolic blood pressure at the ankle compared to that in the arm – have a twofold to threefold increased risk of physical disability. These ankle blood pressure readings are a common means of diagnosing PAD. Read more...

Related support groups: Peripheral Arterial Disease

Drug-Eluting Stents Show Promise for Leg Arteries

Posted 3+ months ago by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, March 10 – Treating peripheral arterial disease with drug-eluting stents may save lives and limbs in people with severely obstructed arteries, Greek researchers have found.

Peripheral arterial disease is common in the lower extremities and sometimes leads to severe obstructions, known as critical limb ischemia (CLI), a condition in which the decreased blood flow causes pain and skin ulcers. Read more...

Related support groups: Peripheral Arterial Disease

Walking Is Good for Blocked Leg Arteries

Posted 3+ months ago by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Jan. 13 – Anyone looking for proof that a planned program of walking is good for people with the leg blood-vessel blockage called peripheral arterial disease (PAD) should check the results of a new U.S. government-funded study.

The study of 156 people with PAD – many of whom didn't have the pain that is the classic symptom of artery blockage – showed that regular six-minute walks on a treadmill improved their endurance and quality of life.

While walking is a standard recommendation for people with PAD, the study was different in two ways, said study lead author Dr. Mary M. McDermott, an associate professor of medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. Read more...

Related support groups: Peripheral Arterial Disease