Beyond the Artery: Rethinking Quality Care in Peripheral Artery Disease

A useful update for anyone caring for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD):

The new ACC/AHA clinical performance and quality measures for PAD reinforce an important shift in how we think about the disease:

PAD care is not just about treating the artery—it’s about treating the patient.

Key themes include:

• Optimizing antithrombotic and lipid-lowering therapy

• Addressing smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and physical activity

• Incorporating structured exercise and rehabilitation

• Improving foot and limb care

• Ensuring appropriate use of diagnostic testing and revascularization

• Measuring whether guideline-directed care is actually being delivered

What I find particularly valuable is the focus on measurable, systematic care. Standardized quality measures can help identify gaps, reduce variation, and ultimately improve both cardiovascular and limb outcomes.

The goal should be simple: fewer cardiovascular events, fewer limb complications, and better quality of life for patients with PAD.

A worthwhile read for clinicians, health systems, and anyone involved in vascular care.

#PeripheralArteryDisease #PAD #Cardiology #VascularMedicine #QualityImprovement #Healthcare #ACC #AHA

https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2025.09.003