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Anxiety and peripheral artery disease.
Jonathan Golledge1,2, Kim G Smolderen3, Shivshankar Thanigaimani1
1Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease, College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.
Clinical Science (London, England : 1979)
|May 18, 2026
Summary
Anxiety symptoms affect 38% of patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD), worsening their quality of life and leg pain. Further research is needed to understand long-term impacts and effective interventions for PAD patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
Background:
- Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common condition associated with significant morbidity.
- Anxiety symptoms are frequently reported in patients with chronic diseases, but their prevalence and impact in PAD are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and synthesize existing literature on the prevalence and impact of anxiety symptoms in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD).
- To identify risk factors associated with anxiety in PAD patients and explore potential biological mechanisms and interventions.
Main Methods:
- A pooled analysis of 10 studies assessing anxiety symptoms in PAD patients using questionnaires.
- Analysis of US hospital admission data to track trends in anxiety disorder diagnoses among PAD patients undergoing revascularization.
- Review of studies examining the association between anxiety, health status, and clinical outcomes in PAD.
Main Results:
- Anxiety symptoms were present in 38% of PAD patients.
- The prevalence of anxiety disorder diagnoses doubled in PAD patients undergoing revascularization from 2011 to 2017.
- Anxiety symptoms were linked to poorer quality of life, increased leg pain, reduced walking ability, and a two-fold increased risk of death in one study.
- Risk factors included female sex, financial concerns, and lack of social support.
Conclusions:
- Anxiety symptoms are common in PAD patients and associated with a worse health status.
- Anxiety may contribute to adverse outcomes through physiological pathways like inflammation.
- Interventions such as music therapy and exercise show potential for reducing anxiety in PAD patients, but more research is needed.
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