Contemporary Review of Antithrombotic Therapy in Peripheral Artery Disease

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) are at heightened risk for ischemic events related to atherothrombosis. Antithrombotic therapies can reduce the risk of atherothrombotic events but increase bleeding. Importantly, there is growing appreciation of the heterogeneity in risk profile and effect of antithrombotic therapies in different populations, including those with PAD. Further, patients with PAD are at risk for not only major adverse cardiovascular events but also major adverse limb events, and the drivers of risk for each are different. Within PAD populations, data from trials may be difficult to interpret due to differences among the studies with regards to patient population, clinical settings, and outcomes examined. The acute setting of peripheral revascularization which involves plaque rupture and endothelial disruption confers very high risk of major adverse limb events early postprocedure. Among patients with chronic PAD for whom the goal of antithrombotic therapy is secondary prevention, concomitant coronary artery disease, particularly with prior myocardial infarction, is associated with greatest risk for major adverse cardiovascular events, while prior peripheral revascularization or amputation is associated with greatest risk for major adverse limb events. Understanding of the potential impact of clinical setting and patient risk profile is important to guide evidence-based decisions regarding antithrombotic therapy in patients with PAD. In this article, we provide a contemporary review of data supporting the use of antithrombotic therapy in PAD, as well as a clinical framework for analysis and translation of these data into practice, highlighting areas in need of further investigation.