Prevalence of peripheral artery disease by abnormal ankle-brachial index in atrial fibrillation: implications for risk and therapy

Among the 2,027 NVAF patients included in the study, hypertensionwas detected in 83%, diabetes mellitus in 23%, dyslipidemiain 39%, metabolic syndrome in 29%, and smoking in 15%. At least 1atherosclerotic risk factor was detected in 90% of patients.The NVAF population was at high risk for stroke, with only18% having a CHA2DS2-VASc score of 0 to 1, while 82% hada risk >2. Despite this, 16% were untreated with any antithromboticdrug, 19% were treated with antiplatelet drugs (APs), and61% with oral anticoagulants (OAC); 4% of patients were treatedwith both APs and OAC.Among the AF population, 428 patients (21%) had ABI 0.90compared with 1,381 patients, who had an ABI of 0.91 to 1.39(69%); 204 patients (10%) had ABI >1.40