Management of Dyslipidemia with Statins in the Patient with Peripheral Arterial Disease

The relationship between peripheral arterial disease (PAD), cardiovascular disease (CAD), and underlying atherosclerotic risk factors such as dyslipidemia, smoking, diabetes, and hypertension is well established. Patients with PAD have dramatically increased risks of cardiovascular mortality due to underlying atherosclerosis. As interventionalists, we focus primarily on improving the functional status of our patients by “fixing” their peripheral arterial occlusions, often ignoring the more serious concerns, as well as the root cause of the problem. In addition to interventional strategies, comprehensive clinical management of PAD should include attention to risk factor modification, lifestyle changes, exercise therapy, and pharmacologic interventions. Conventional training in interventional radiology imparts very little familiarity with these management issues. The following article addresses one critical modifiable risk factor, dyslipidemia, and treatment with the powerful class of drugs, the statins, reviewing the rationale for as well as the practical considerations in the use of these agents.