The Importance of Exercise: Preventive Management for Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a circulatory disorder where narrowed arteries decrease blood to limbs, is commonly seen in old people. Individuals with PAD may increase risk for all-cause mortality, especially those with declining functional performance being at greater risk for later mobility loss. Although management for patients with PAD include exercises, pharmacological intervention, or surgical revascularization, only few individuals have classic claudication at the initial stage making exercise a good option for preventive management to avoid progression of PAD, and improve the patients' prognosis. Strengths and limitations: Timing, and pros and cons of exercises, in addition to mechanisms, are appropriately mentioned and discussed in this article which can be applied to any potential individual for prevention or management of PAD. However, information related to range of motion and speed of exercises are insufficient. Further studies are needed in order to clarify these details.