PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL-VASCULAR DISEASE IN WOMEN - PREVALENCE, PROGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT

Lower extremity atherosclerosis results in significant morbidity in wo men, particularly in women following the menopause. Up to 25% of women aged 55 to 74 years are affected by this disease. When noninvasive te sting is used to determine the prevalence of lower extremity atheroscl erosis, and men in this age group are equally represented. Cigarette s moking, diabetes mellitus, and menopause are risk factors for atherosc lerosis of particular interest in women. The prevalence of cigarette s moking is rising rapidly among women, and diabetes appears to be a gre ater risk factor for atherosclerosis in women than in men. Risk factor reduction, in addition to an exercise program, are important parts of the treatment program for stable claudication. In both men and women with more severe symptoms, an ankle/brachial index (ABI) of less than 0.3 is associated with a poor prognosis. Men and women fare equally we ll following revascularization for severe peripheral atherosclerosis. However, there are some data to suggest that women may be offered peri pheral revascularization at a lower rate.