Cardiovascular outcomes in patients with peripheral arterial disease as an initial or subsequent manifestation of atherosclerotic disease: Results from a Swedish nationwide study

PAD as initial manifestation of atherosclerotic disease diagnosed in a hospital-based setting conferred a high risk: one in eight patients experienced a major CV event and one in six patients died within 1 year. Despite younger age and substantial risk of future major CV events, patients with primary PAD received less intensive secondary preventive drug therapy.