Prognostic implications of peripheral artery disease in coronary artery disease.

Prevalence of peripheral arterial disease in patients with coronary artery disease is considerably higher than in the general population. A graded increase in the risk of major cardiovascular events in a variety of clinical settings is associated with the number of arterial beds affected by peripheral arterial disease. This is not surprising, considering that both coronary artery disease and peripheral arterial disease are linked to a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and a greater incidence of atherosclerotic burden.