ABSTRACT
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is commonly used to describe atherosclerotic changes affecting the aortic, iliac, and lower limb arteries. The disease is common, affecting 12% to 14% of the general population, with higher preponderance in the elderly (Shanmugasundaram et al. 2011). Its clinical presentation may vary from claudication, changes in limb color, delayed wound healing and diminished hair and nail growth. Musculoskeletal and neurological problems commonly coexist and confound the clinical picture. A small number of patients will present with classic symptoms and 70% to 90% will have atypical leg symptoms or remain asymptomatic and as such, clinical diagnosis may be challenging (Ramos et al. 2009). Structured questionnaires such as the Edinburgh Claudication Questionnaire have improved detection of patients with PAD compared to clinical assessment but these remain valuable for the minority of patients who present with classical symptomatology.
