Katarína Vavrovičová, Ján Tomka, Katarína Kanáliková
Peripheral arterial disease is in majority cases the result of lower extremity atherosclerotic disease. Typical atherosclerotic risk factors (e.g. smoking, lipid metabolism disorder, diabetes mellitus or arterial hypertension) play important role in development of this disease. The cardiovascular risk is increased in patients with peripheral arterial disease of lower extremities which is similar as in coronary or cerebrovascular bed diseases and depends on the importance of the disease. Main diagnostic methods include beside history of a patient, physical examination, ankle-brachial measurement, also different imaging modalities represented by colour-duplex ultrasound, CTA, MRA or DSA. In therapy, patient’s education, lifestyle change, rehabilitation (e.g. walk training) is important. The main goal of pharmacotherapy is modification of risk factors, but it could intervene with some pathophysiological processes of atherosclerosis, too. Very important is the role of interventional endovascular therapy and angiosurgery. Management of patients with peripheral arterial disease requires individual particular care. Multidisciplinary approach is often needed.