What treatments are effective for peripheral arterial disease?

• A. Smoking cessation, exercise therapy, vasodilators, and surgical interventions like bypass grafts
• B. High-fat diet and bed rest
• C. Antibiotics and antifungals
• D. Complete immobilization of legs

Answer: (A)

Peripheral arterial disease treatment aims to both improve blood flow and reduce cardiovascular risk. Stopping smoking is essential because tobacco use accelerates atherosclerosis and worsens outcomes. Supervised exercise therapy helps by increasing walking distance and promoting collateral vessel development, improving functional capacity. Vasodilator therapy can relieve intermittent claudication symptoms, with specific drugs like cilostazol having proven benefit in claudication. When the disease is advanced or limb-threatening, revascularization—such as bypass grafts or endovascular procedures like angioplasty with or without stenting—can restore blood flow and relieve ischemia. Together, these approaches address symptoms, limb viability, and overall cardiovascular risk. The other options would not improve PAD and can worsen risk or symptoms.