Prognosis of Patients with Peripheral and Coronary Atherosclerotic Disease

PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE (PAD) affects more than 30 million people worldwide. In the United States, more than 8 million people suffer from this disease. The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association have recognized the importance of identifying and treating this disease and have initiated national campaigns to increase its awareness. Many patients, however, do not exhibit warning signs of the disease and remain undiagnosed. These missed diagnoses create a major health burden. When left untreated, PAD can lead to walking impairment and in more severe stages, to gangrene and leg amputation. Patients with PAD often have atherosclerotic disease in other parts of the body, which places the patient at risk for myocardial infarction, stroke and death. Especially coronary artery disease has been recognized as a complice of PAD. This thesis provides an insight in the prognosis of patients with peripheral and coronary artery disease and attempts to find solutions in improving the identification and management of this disease.