New Directions in the Management of Peripheral Artery Disease

BACKGROUND: Peripheral artery disease represents an important chapter of cardiovascular pathology in which atherosclerosis (promoted by major risk factors-hypertension, smoking, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus) is the major etiology. The severity of this pathology is not only due to local injury but also due to frequent association with atherosclerotic disease with other localizations, thus increasing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in these patients. Diagnosis is based on clinical data, functional tests (the ankle-brachial index is very useful in these cases) and imagistic methods (Doppler ultrasonography, computed tomography angiography, magnetic resonance angiography, and digital subtraction angiography). Therapeutic options vary depending on the location and severity of the lesions but also on the chronic or acute nature of the disease. Thus, in addition to pharmacological treatment and nonpharmacological measures (related to lifestyle), revascularization therapy is a very important step. AREAS OF UNCERTAINTY: There are still many things that need to be clarified in this pathology: importance of developing national registries (because epidemiological data are often poor), role of drug-eluting stents/drug-eluting balloons in femoropopliteal lesions, optimal duration of double antiplatelet treatment after stenting, and more. Current guidelines for the management of peripheral artery disease are built from the results of many trials and research groups regarding to the evaluation and therapy of these patients. THERAPEUTIC ADVANCES: Endovascular therapy is particularly targeted for cases with short lesions/occlusions or in patients with high surgical risk; instead, surgical revascularization (bypass) brings benefits in patients with long or distal stenoses/occlusions or where anatomy does not allow for interventional intervention. Anticoagulant and thrombolytic treatment plays an important role in acute limb ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: So, in the patients with peripheral artery disease (especially acute limb ischemia), early diagnosis and prompt application of therapeutic measures are the cornerstone of management in these cases.