Nontraditional Risk Factors for Peripheral Artery Disease: Setting the Scene

Atherothrombotic occlusion and narrowing of the arteries supplying blood to the legs, usually referred to as peripheral artery disease, affects 6% of adults and is associated with impaired quality of life and increased risk of major adverse events including death. Peripheral artery disease has been relatively understudied and has not been subject to the same scrutiny and investigation that characterizes coronary artery disease. Importantly, there are subtle differences between peripheral and coronary artery disease with respect to traditional risk factors, and there may be marked differences in nontraditional risk factors. Here, we provide a brief description of the population burden, pathophysiology, and traditional risk factors for peripheral artery disease, which is intended as the introduction to a series of reviews focusing on nontraditional risk factors for this disorder. We highlight the planned reviews in the series and how these may act as an important impetus to address the unmet need of improving outcomes in people with peripheral artery disease.