Knowledge and awareness of peripheral arterial disease among the diabetic population in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Among the many diabetes mellitus (DM)-related complications, the peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is the leading cause for limb loss in the diabetic population. Awareness is an integral part of preventive measures in those individuals with PAD. This study aims to assess the knowledge and awareness of PAD arterial diseases among diabetic patients in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 526 diabetic participants. A pre-designed questionnaire comprising 27 items, including socio-demographic characteristics, questions related to knowledge, and awareness regarding PADs, was employed for the study. Results: There were a total number of 526 patients from different provinces in Saudi Arabia. We found that 72.6% (n = 382) were aware of PAD. Furthermore, 36% of the participants reported that the source of their information about chronic limb ischemia (CLI) was from the physicians; 23% from family members, relatives, or friends; and 23% from the media. The awareness regarding CLI among the patients was reported to be 82.3%, and it was found to be more among patients aged less than 50 years (59.9%) compared to patients aged