[Conservative therapy of peripheral arterial occlusive disease]

Strict control of risk factors and walking exercise are the basics to any medical treatment of arterial obstructive disease of the extremities. The benefit of platelet-aggregation inhibitors is well established. Acetylsalicylic acid slows the progression of recurrence of thrombotic occlusion after endarterectomy or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in the femoral blood stream. Long-term oral anticoagulants are indicated after bypass surgery. Prostaglandin E1 and high-energy phosphates are of proven benefit in patients with pain at rest. Vasoactive drugs such as Dipyridamole are still controversial.