[Risk adapted therapy in vascular diseases: antihypertensive treatment in peripheral arterial disease].

Arterial hypertension must also be consistently treated in patients with PAD. Current guidelines and recommendations have to be considered, although in some patients the walk performance may be affected temporary by blood pressure dropping. In PAD, ideal antihypertensives are ACE inhibitors, AT1 receptor antagonists, calcium channel blockers and also alpha receptor blockers in combination. Beta receptor blockers-indicated in coronary heart disease-do not influence pain-free walking distance (PFWD) in patients with PAD. Diuretics should only be given in low dosage and in combination with other antihypertensive drugs in order to avoid a decrease of blood flow ability with clinical events.