The prevalence and management strategies for peripheral artery disease associated with diabetes mellitus in the Arab world

A growing body of published literature has indicated that diabetes mellitus (DM) is a global health epidemic. There is a staggering upsurge of the prevalence of DM and its associated complications across the globe. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a devastating long-term complication of DM. Although there is an exponential increase in the prevalence of diabetes in the Arab world, there are few reports that contain scant data that do not reflect the real magnitude of challenges to health-care agencies. Major risk factors for PAD include smoking, type 2 DM (T2DM), hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, hyperhomocysteinaemia, and advancing age. PAD is an age-dependent disorder that is under-diagnosed, under-estimated, and sub-optimally treated. Diagnosing PAD is challenging in patients with DM because, despite the presence of severe tissue loss, it may remain asymptomatic because of associated neuropathy. PAD is considered to be a strong predictor of future cardiovascular events. The purpose of this review is to provide data regarding the existing prevalence of DM and diabetes-induced PAD with special focus on the Arab world. Subsequently, deep insight regarding the diagnostic modalities and management guidelines is provided. There is a dramatic rise in the prevalence of diabetes-induced PAD that leads to significant morbidity and a marked reduction in the quality of life. Early identification of individuals with risk factors can help to minimize the onset of PAD in patients with DM, thus preventing limb and life-threatening complications. This review argues for more nationally representative surveillance data in the Arab world regarding the impact of DM on PAD.