Peripheral arterial disease. Secondary prevention, medical therapy, revascularization

Patients with peripheral arterial disease have a high risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Thus, antiplatelet drugs, antidiabetic, antihypertensive and antilipemic agents should be administered early on. Smoking cessation has to be encouraged and supported. In case of significant reduction of walking distance with impaired quality of life structured and supervised exercise training as well as vasoactive substances have to be offered. If technically feasible and critically discussed with the patient revascularization procedures of the aorto-iliac and the femoropopliteal segment may be performed. In patients with critical limb ischemia, all options for vascularisation have to be utilized as the main goal is limb salvage. As medication, only prostanoids have to be considered.