scholarly journals Anticoagulation in Peripheral Artery Disease: Are We There Yet?

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Cannavale ◽  
Mariangela Santoni ◽  
Giuseppe Cannavale ◽  
Fabrizio Fanelli

Thromboembolism in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) represents a common cause of morbidity and mortality. In this article, the authors analyse the use of anticoagulants for patients with PAD. Anticoagulants have been used to reduce the risk of venous thromboembolism, but have recently been applied to the arterial circulation. Heparins were introduced to reduce short-term major adverse limb events in patients undergoing arterial revascularisation. Low molecular weight heparins have allowed easier management and carry a lower risk of bleeding than unfractioned heparin. Vitamin K anticoagulants have been tested in trials that included patients with PAD, showing an increased risk of bleeding when compared with aspirin alone, but longer patency rates for venous surgical bypass, although the evidence remains weak. Those anticoagulants are currently recommended only in patients with PAD who need anticoagulation for other diseases. Direct oral anticoagulants have only recently been investigated for use in patients with PAD. Promising results from low dose rivaroxaban plus aspirin have been recently outlined by a randomised controlled trial and supported by international guidelines.

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (38) ◽  
pp. 4511-4515 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Koutsoumpelis ◽  
C. Argyriou ◽  
K.M. Tasopoulou ◽  
E.I. Georgakarakos ◽  
G.S. Georgiadis

Background: Peripheral artery disease is a common manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis which strongly correlates to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In addition, the progression of peripheral artery disease leads to an increased risk of limb loss. In order to reduce these events, the benchmark of treatment and research over the last years has been the antiplatelet therapy which aims at inhibition of platelet aggregation. Over the last years, new studies combining antiplatelet agents in different therapeutic schemes have been proven efficacious. Unfortunately, patients remain still at high risk of CV events. Novel Oral Anticoagulants have been introduced as alternatives to warfarin, in the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism. The rationale of using medication which acts on platelet activation and the coagulation pathway of thrombosis has led investigators to examine the role of Noac's in preventing CV events in patients with peripheral artery disease, stable or unstable. Methods: The aim of this study is to review the current evidence with respect to recently published studies concerning the use of Novel anticoagulants in peripheral artery disease. Results: The Compass trial has shown that a combination of rivaroxaban with traditional therapy may produce promising results in reducing amputation rates, stroke, cardiac events, and mortality, however, there are still safety issues with bleeding requiring acute care. The ePAD study has provided us with insight concerning safety and efficacy after peripheral angioplasty or stenting and actually the need for further research. The Voyager Pad study, following the steps of Compass, is studying the effect and safety of the addition of rivaroxaban to traditional therapy in the highest risk population aka patients undergoing peripheral revascularization. The evidence concerning patients with concomitant atrial fibrillation appears to be insufficient, however, recent guidelines propose the use of novel oral anticoagulants. Conclusion: For the time being, novel oral anticoagulants in combination with aspirin may provide an alternative treatment in PAD, however, it is deemed necessary to identify patient subgroups who will benefit the most.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (38) ◽  
pp. 4516-4517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diamantis I. Tsilimigras ◽  
Demetrios Moris ◽  
Georgios Karaolanis ◽  
Stavros K. Kakkos ◽  
Konstantinos Filis ◽  
...  

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is the third most common manifestation of atherosclerosis after coronary artery (CAD) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD). People with PAD have plaque findings in other vascular territories as well and, thus, are at increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events (MACCE), including myocardial infarction, and stroke. In that context, the COMPASS multicenter, randomized controlled trial showed that the risk of MACCE was significantly reduced by 24% in the rivaroxaban plus aspirin arm compared with aspirin alone (4.1% vs 5.4% respectively; HR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.66 to 0.86). Interestingly, the rivaroxaban/aspirin arm also showed a reduction in cardiovascular death (HR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.64-0.96]) and allcause mortality (HR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.71-0.96) by 22% and 18%, respectively. Recently, the FDA approved the use of the dual pathway approach, rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily plus aspirin 75-100mg once daily, to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular (CV) events, such as CV death, myocardial infarction and stroke, in people with CAD as well as PAD. In comparing rivaroxaban plus aspirin versus aspirin alone, a preliminary economic analysis showed that saving per patient was USD 462 for events and USD 220 for procedures with a total reduction of USD 682 per participant in the US with the combination group (rivaroxaban plus aspirin). The data from COMPASS trial suggest that low dose rivaroxaban plus aspirin may be a preferred treatment strategy in PAD patients in whom the bleeding risk is deemed to be favourable.


Angiology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 303-314
Author(s):  
Rupert Bauersachs ◽  
Sebastian Debus ◽  
Mark Nehler ◽  
Maria Huelsebeck ◽  
Janita Balradj ◽  
...  

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) have an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) and limb events, but the disease is frequently underdiagnosed and treatment options are limited. This review examines the disease burden of symptomatic PAD as well as key guideline recommendations. Publications were identified using the ProQuest portal to access the Medline, Medline In-Process, and Embase databases. Search terms for symptomatic PAD were combined with terms relevant to epidemiology, burden, treatment practice, and physiopathology. Articles in English published between January 2001 and September 2016 were screened according to the population, interventions, comparator, outcomes, and study design criteria. Relevant publications (n = 200) were identified. The reported incidence and prevalence of PAD varied depending on the definitions used and the study populations. Patients generally had a poor prognosis, with an increased risk of mortality, CV, and limb events and decreased quality of life. Guideline recommendations included ankle–brachial index measurements, exercise testing, and angiography for diagnosis and risk factor modification, antiplatelets, cilostazol, exercise therapy, or surgical interventions for treatment, depending on the patient profile. The clinical, humanistic, and economic burden of disease in patients with symptomatic PAD is substantial and needs to be reduced through improved PAD management.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena M. Yubero-Serrano ◽  
Juan F. Alcalá-Diaz ◽  
Francisco M. Gutierrez-Mariscal ◽  
Antonio P. Arenas-de Larriva ◽  
Patricia J. Peña-Orihuela ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is recognized as a significant predictor of mortality and adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). In fact, coexisting PAD and CHD is strongly associated with a greater coronary event recurrence compared with either one of them alone. High-density lipoprotein (HDL)-mediated cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) is found to be inversely associated with an increased risk of incident CHD. However, this association is not established in patients with PAD in the context of secondary prevention. In this sense, our main aim was to evaluate the association between CEC and PAD in patients with CHD and whether the concurrent presence of PAD and T2DM influences this association. Methods CHD patients (n = 1002) from the CORDIOPREV study were classified according to the presence or absence of PAD (ankle-brachial index, ABI ≤ 0.9 and ABI > 0.9 and < 1.4, respectively) and T2DM status. CEC was quantified by incubation of cholesterol-loaded THP-1 cells with the participants' apoB-depleted plasma was performed. Results The presence of PAD determined low CEC in non-T2DM and newly-diagnosed T2DM patients. Coexisting PAD and newly-diagnosed T2DM provided and additive effect providing an impaired CEC compared to non-T2DM patients with PAD. In established T2DM patients, the presence of PAD did not determine differences in CEC, compared to those without PAD, which may be restored by glucose-lowering treatment. Conclusions Our findings suggest an inverse relationship between CEC and PAD in CHD patients. These results support the importance of identifying underlying mechanisms of PAD, in the context of secondary prevention, that provide potential therapeutic targets, that is the case of CEC, and establishing strategies to prevent or reduce the high risk of cardiovascular events of these patients. Trial registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00924937. Unique Identifier: NCT00924937


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael G Levin ◽  
Derek Klarin ◽  
Venexia M Walker ◽  
Dipender Gill ◽  
Julie Lynch ◽  
...  

Aims: We aimed to estimate the effect of blood pressure and blood pressure lowering medications (via genetic proxies) on peripheral artery disease. Methods and Results: GWAS summary statistics were obtained for BP (International Consortium for Blood Pressure + UK Biobank GWAS; N = up to 757,601 individuals), peripheral artery disease (PAD; VA Million Veteran Program; N = 24,009 cases, 150,983 controls), and coronary artery disease (CAD; CARDIoGRAMplusC4D 1000 Genomes; N = 60,801 cases, 123,504 controls). Genetic correlations between systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), pulse pressure (PP) and CAD and PAD were estimated using LD score regression. The strongest correlation was between SBP and CAD (rg = 0.36; p = 3.9 x 10-18). Causal effects were estimated by two-sample MR using a range of pleiotropy-robust methods. Increased SBP, DBP, and PP increased risk of both PAD (SBP OR 1.25 [1.19-1.31] per 10mmHg increase, p = 3 x 10-18; DBP OR 1.27 [1.17-1.39], p = 4 x 10-8; PP OR 1.51 [1.38-1.64], p = 1 x 10-20) and CAD (SBP OR 1.37 [1.29-1.45], p = 2 x 10-24; DBP OR 1.6 [1.45-1.76], p = 7 x 10-22; PP OR 1.56 [1.4-1.75], p = 1 x 10-15). The effects of SBP and DBP were greater for CAD than PAD (pdiff = 0.024 for SBP, pdiff = 4.9 x 10-4 for DBP). Increased liability to PAD increased PP (beta = 1.04 [0.62-1.45] mmHg per 1 unit increase in log-odds in liability to PAD, p = 1 x 10-6). MR was also used to estimate the effect of BP lowering through different classes of antihypertensive medications using genetic instruments containing BP-trait associated variants located within genes encoding protein targets of each medication. SBP lowering via calcium channel blocker-associated variants was protective of CAD (OR 0.38 per 10mmHg decrease in SBP; 95% CI 0.19-0.77; p = 0.007). Conclusions: Higher BP is likely to cause both PAD and CAD but may have a larger effect on CAD risk. BP-lowering through calcium-channel blockers (as proxied by genetic variants) decreased risk of CAD.


Circulation ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 118 (suppl_18) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Conen ◽  
Kathryn M Rexrode ◽  
Paul M Ridker ◽  
Aruna D Pradhan

Background Metabolic syndrome (MetS) includes a number of cardiovascular risk factors known to predict vascular disease. Little is known, however, about the interrelationships between MetS, inflammation and the risk of incident peripheral artery disease (PAD). Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study among 27111 women participating in the Women’s Health Study. Subjects were free of cardiovascular disease at baseline and followed for the incidence of symptomatic PAD (n=114) over a follow-up period of 13.3 years. We used Cox proportional-hazards models to compare the risk of PAD among women with and without the MetS. We also evaluated relationships between MetS and markers of subclinical inflammation including high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and adjusted for these biomarker levels in multivariable models. Results At study entry, 25.5% of participants had the MetS. Women with the MetS had a 62% increased risk of incident PAD (HR 1.62; 95% CI 1.10 –2.38). After multivariable adjustment, MetS remained significantly associated with incident PAD (Table ). Similar results were obtained when we assessed the risk of PAD according to the number of MetS defining traits (21% risk increase per additional trait) (Table ). Median plasma levels of hsCRP and sICAM-1 were 4.0 mg/L versus 1.53 mg/L (p<0.0001) and 374 ng/mL versus 333 ng/mL (p<0.0001) in women with and without MetS, respectively. From 0 to 5 MetS defining traits, median hsCRP levels gradually increased from 1.0 to 5.9 mg/L (p<0.0001) and median sICAM-1 levels increased from 321 to 413 ng/mL (p<0.0001). When hsCRP and sICAM-1 were added to multivariable models for incident PAD, risk estimates for the MetS were substantially attenuated and became non-significant (Table ). Conclusion Women with the MetS have an increased risk of incident PAD. This increased risk may be largely mediated by the effects of inflammation and/or endothelial activation. Metabolic Syndrome and Risk of PAD


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