Exercise therapy for chronic symptomatic peripheral artery disease
Lucia Mazzolai, J. J. F. Belch, Maarit Venermo, Victor Aboyans, Marianne Brodmann, A. Bura-Rivière, Sebastien Debus, Christine Espinola–Klein, Amy E. Harwood, John A. Hawley, Stefano Lanzi, Juraj Maďarič, Guillaume Mahé, Davide Malatesta, Oliver Schlager, Arno Schmidt‐Trucksäss, Chris Seenan, Henrik Sillesen, Garry A. Tew, Adriana Visonà
Abstract
All guidelines worldwide strongly recommend exercise as a pillar in the management of patients affected by lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD). Exercise therapy in this setting presents different modalities, and a structured programme provides optimal results. This clinical consensus paper is intended to promote and assist the set up of comprehensive exercise programmes and best advice for patients with symptomatic chronic PAD. Different exercise training protocols specific for patients with PAD are presented. Data on patient assessment and outcome measures are described based on the current best evidence. The document ends by highlighting supervised exercise programme access disparities across Europe and the evidence gaps requiring further research.