Risk factors in peripheral arterial disease. An out-patient pilot study at the Department of Surgery in Malmö.

In a pilot study in patients with verified peripheral arterial occlusion, smoking was compared with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and glucose intolerance, as a risk factor for peripheral arterial disease. The material consists of 17 men, all new out-patients at the Department of Surgery in Malmö during the first 6 months of 1973. Of these patients, 15 were smokers, all inhaled. Glucose intolerance was found in 4, hyperlipidemia in 3 and hypertension in 2 individuals. It is shown that smoking, glucose intolerance, hyperlipidemia and hypertension are more common in patients with peripheral arterial disease than in defined population groups. In patients with bilateral occlusion an increased number of risk factors was found. Smoking was the most common risk factor and in 10 patients it was the only known risk factor.