Influence of hyperlipidemia and its treatment on outcome in patients with peripheral arterial disease

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD), coronary heart disease, and diabetes mellitus have been shown conclusively to experience a 25% reduction in the rate of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke and revascularization procedures by treatment with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl- coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors. Despite these findings, patients with PAD are frequently undertreated with respect to HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, compared to patients with CHD. In addition, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors produce numerous pleiotrophic effects that may reduce the incidence of restenosis after revascularization procedures.