Women's vascular health: peripheral artery disease in female patients

Abstract

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common pathology that affects millions worldwide, yet the medical community lacks robust data and in-depth understanding of how PAD specifically impacts female patients. This review describes the epidemiology and riskfactors for PAD, with a focus on how gender may impart differential risks. The nuances in diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes are discussed, with a lens on gender differences. The available data are not robust, and women are underrepresented in trials, so few definitive conclusions can be made. More work must be done to identify the root causes of the many clinical deficits in the diagnosis and treatment of PAD in female patients.

Keywords: Healthcare Disparities; Peripheral Artery Disease; Women's Health.