How common is peripheral arterial disease, and should primary care physicians be screening for it?

Patients at risk for atherosclerotic disease frequently have undiagnosed and asymptomatic PAD. Also, patients with unknown PAD are less intensively treated for hyperlipidemia and hypertension and less likely to be taking antiplatelet therapy than patients already diagnosed with PAD or CVD. This study does not provide evidence, however, that early detection of PAD will lead to behavioral changes on the part of either patients or physicians resulting in improved patient-oriented outcomes. Until further studies have been done that demonstrate improved outcomes as a result of early detection of PAD with the Doppler ABI, screening should not be routine.