Pathophysiology of peripheral arterial disease and risk factors for its development.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a systemic atherosclerotic process for which the major risk factors are similar to those for atherosclerosis in the carotid, coronary, and other vascular beds. Among the traditional risk factors for PAD, those with the strongest associations are advanced age, smoking, and diabetes mellitus. More recently, a number of nontraditional risk factors for PAD have also been recognized. This article briefly reviews the pathophysiology of PAD and the evidence supporting established and emerging risk factors for its development.