
Essential Keys To Diagnosing And Treating PAD In Patients With Diabetes
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Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is an extremely prevalent, substantially underdiagnosed condition, which has a significant risk of morbidity and mortality. Recent data suggests that PAD affects nearly 18 million Americans and greater than 202 million globally.1,2 Patients with diabetes at highest risk include those age 50 or older, or those under age 50 with comorbid hypertension, hyperlipidemia or obesity. Individuals with a history of cardiovascular disease and those over age 65 are also at high risk.1,3
Complicating the ability to diagnose PAD, approximately 50 percent of PAD patients are asymptomatic while another 33 percent have atypical symptomatology.4 Unfortunately, once diagnosed with PAD, 20 percent will experience a life-altering cardiovascular complication such as a myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular accident while 30 percent will experience a life-ending cardiovascular complication.5
Why Diabetes And PAD Are Frequent Comorbid Conditions
Diabetes mellitus is also a global health emergency.6 As of 2016, 422 million people had diabetes worldwide, up from an estimated 382 million people in 2013 and 108 million in 1980.7,8 The prevalence of diabetes varies worldwide. It is greater in middle-aged people in developing countries and people over 65 years of age in developed countries such as the United States.9
The U.S. has the unfortunate distinction of having the third largest number of adults suffering from diabetes.6 Currently, 14.3 percent of the U.S. population has diabetes with over 36 percent undiagnosed.10 Over the last 17 years, the U.S. pre
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