Which management approach for PAD is most appropriate?

• A. Bed rest and hydration
• B. Exercise therapy alone
• C. Smoking cessation and supervised exercise therapy
• D. Bypass grafts only

Answer: (C)

Managing PAD hinges on reducing symptoms and cardiovascular risk through risk-factor modification and structured activity. Quitting smoking is essential because it slows atherosclerosis progression and lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke. Supervised exercise therapy improves walking distance and claudication symptoms by enhancing blood flow and muscle efficiency, and it works best when paired with smoking cessation since it addresses both the disease process and functional limitation. Bed rest provides no benefit in PAD and can worsen overall outcomes, while bypass grafts are invasive and reserved for more severe cases or when noninvasive therapy has failed. So, combining smoking cessation with supervised exercise therapy offers the most effective noninvasive management.