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Treatment
6.1. Exercise Therapy for PAD
COR LOE
Recommendations
1 A
1. In patients with chronic symptomatic PAD, SET is
recommended to improve walking performance, functional
status, and QOL.
1 A
2. In patients with chronic symptomatic PAD, a structured
community-based exercise program with behavioral change
techniques is effective to improve walking performance,
functional status, and QOL.
1 A
3. In patients who have undergone revascularization for chronic
symptomatic PAD, SET after revascularization is effective to
improve walking performance, functional status, and QOL.
1 B-R
4. In patients with functionally limiting claudication, SET or
a structured community-based exercise program should be
offered as an initial treatment option.
2a A
5. In patients with chronic symptomatic PAD, alternative
programs of nonwalking structured exercise therapy (eg, arm
ergometry, recumbent stepping ) can be beneficial to improve
walking performance, functional status, and QOL.
2b B-R
6. In patients with chronic symptomatic PAD, the usefulness of
structured walking exercise therapy that avoids moderate to
severe ischemic symptoms is uncertain.
2b B-R
7. In patients with chronic symptomatic PAD, the usefulness
of unstructured exercise to improve walking performance,
functional status, and QOL is uncertain.
7.1. Revascularization for Asymptomatic PAD
COR LOE
Recommendations
2a B-NR
1. In patients with asymptomatic PAD, it is reasonable to
perform revascularization procedures (endovascular or
surgical) to reconstruct diseased arteries if needed for the
safety, feasibility, or effectiveness of other procedures (eg,
transfemoral aortic valve replacement, mechanical circulatory
support, endovascular aortic aneurysm repair).
3: Harm B-NR
2. In patients with asymptomatic PAD, revascularization
procedures (endovascular or surgical) should not be
performed solely to prevent progression of disease.
