DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE 2 AS A MOST IMPORTANT RISK FACTOR IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PERIPHERAL VASCULAR DISEASE: A CASE REPORT

Peripheral artery disease is a considered as one of the major macrovascular complications in diabetes mellitus type 2. It is chronic arteriosclerotic illness that mainly affects the lower limbs and is presented as narrowed or blocked blood vessels. The prevalence increases with the age, it affects 15-20% of persons older than 70 years age, 10-15% of the general population. Smoking and high cholesterol levels increase the risk for PAD progression in large blood vessels such as legs, while diabetes increases the risk for PAD in small blood vessels such as the feet. Critical ischemia, its most severe form can lead to limb amputation and the patient’s death, and even its asymptomatic forms are associated with a high risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Approximately more than half of all patients are asymptomatic and preventive therapy reduces the risk of complications and death, so it’s important to recognize the subclinical forms in time and to control risk factors of disease. The risk factors that can be modified are tobacco use, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, obesity and some of them cannot be modified such as age, sex or family medical history. Diabetes mellitus type 2 is considered as the most important risk factor for development of peripheral artery disease. The experts suggest that is necessary to establish an HBA1C therapeutic target below 8% in patient with DM and PAD.