Understanding the Pain Experience and Treatment Considerations Along the Spectrum of Peripheral Artery Disease
Published: February 10, 2025
- Peripheral artery disease (PAD), a common cardiovascular condition caused by narrowed arteries that reduce blood flow to the limbs, increases the risk of severe complications and significantly impairs quality of life, affecting walking performance and leading to chronic pain.
- Effective PAD management requires addressing pain and risk profiles through various approaches, including medical, psychological, and exercise therapies, while acknowledging the limitations of current pain assessment tools.
- The future direction involves enhancing awareness of pain's complexity in PAD, improving education for clinicians and patients, and advancing research and standards for pain management.
Video: Understanding the Pain Experience and Treatment Considerations Along the Spectrum of Peripheral Artery Disease
Francisco Ujueta, MD, FAHA and Dr. Kim Smolderen, PhD, FAHA discuss the new American Heart Association statement on the complexities of pain management in patients with peripheral artery disease, emphasizing the need for a bio-psychosocial perspective and multidisciplinary treatment strategies.
Supporting Materials
- Top Things to Know: Understanding the Pain Experience and Treatment Considerations Along the Spectrum of Peripheral Artery Disease
- Association Between Mental Health Burden, Clinical Presentation, and Outcomes in Individuals With Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease
- Advancing Peripheral Artery Disease Quality of Care and Outcomes Through Patient-Reported Health Status Assessment
- 2024 Guideline for the Management of Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease