How to treat patients with essential hypertension and peripheral arterial disease

Background: Arterial hypertension (AH) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) frequently coincide. While significant attention is paid to AH, PAD is often underestimated. It is known that both AH and PAD present high cardiovascular risks for ischemic events. To date, the use of the most common anti-hypertensive drugs in PAD patients is still under debate. Methods: Data from studies of large populations and minor cohorts of patients show AH and PAD together or PAD alone. Results: cardiovascular and renal outcomes for PAD patients show lowered arterial pressure. We cannot rank the class of anti-hypertensive drugs recommended for PAD patients with AH. However, optimum targeted anti-hypertensive therapy is strongly recommended by cardiology guidelines. Conclusion: comprehensive cardiovascular protection is the most important goal in using anti-AH drugs in PAD together with other drugs such as anti-platelets and statins.