OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this survey was to evaluate how patients with peripheral obstructive arterial disease have been treated, concerning risk factors and comorbidities. METHOD: A questionnaire was applied to all physicians attending the monthly meeting of the Brazilian Society of Angiology and Vascular Surgery - São Paulo Section. Questions were asked about the following major risk factors: treatment of dyslipidemia, diabetes, exercise regimens, antiplatelet therapy, smoking and arterial hypertension. RESULTS: Of the 102 questionnaires, 75 were answered (response rate of 73.5%). Of these, 82% routinely measure cholesterol levels and 20% aim at an LDL cholesterol target below 100 mg/dl; 94% perform a screening for diabetes mellitus; 97% recommend patients to an exercise program; 79% prescribe aspirin; 97% recommend patients to quit smoking and 60% only do it by counseling; 18% do not measure blood pressure and 19% have a target pressure of 130 x 80 mmHg. Considering the recommendations as a whole - lifestyle intervention in order to quit smoking, aerobic exercise, prescription of antiplatelet therapy, screening for diabetes mellitus, rigorous control of blood pressure and lipids - it was observed that 7% of interviewees follow all of them as an established routine. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that patients with peripheral arterial disease are currently undertreated with regard to the screening and treatment of risk factors and comorbidities.
peripheral arterial disease; arteriosclerosis; intermittent claudication; risk factors; cholesterol; smoking; aspirin; exercise; hypertension; diabetes mellitus
