Interní Med. 2014; 16(4): 145-147

Pharmacological treatment of dyslipidemia in patients with peripheral arterial disease

MUDr.Jan Piťha, CSc.

Laboratoř pro výzkum aterosklerózy, Centrum experimentální medicíny,

Successful treatment of dyslipidemias is essential for the prevention of atherosclerosis and its complications – cardiovascular diseases

in general. Treatment of dyslipidemia may be more difficult in specific patient groups. One of the most risky and the most neglected

groups are patients with peripheral arterial disease. The attention in these patients is usually focused on claudications, local trophical

changes and acute ischemic events. However, most of these patients succumb to fatal cardiovascular events from other arterial beds,

especially from affected coronary arteries. Therefore, intervention embracing all traditional cardiovascular risk factors, particularly

dyslipidemia is in this group of patients essential. Another complication is that these patients often smoke and have diabetes mellitus;

both of these factors may themselves significantly modify lipid levels. Most of patients with peripheral artery disease are carriers of

mixed dyslipidemias. The aim of this paper is to present the challenges and possible solutions for the treatment of dyslipidemia in patients

with peripheral arterial disease.

Keywords: atherosclerosis, peripheral artery disease, dyslipidemia, management

Published: June 1, 2014  Show citation