Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the primary driver of premature death in global populations in recent decades. Mortality statistics, most publications, and guidelines in the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease field have traditionally focused on cardiac and cerebrovascular adverse events and causes of death. However, given the increasing prevalence of lower extremity peripheral arterial disease and its expanding burden on global health systems, such an emphasis might represent a skewed perception of vascular risk within the broader atherosclerotic spectrum.

Kaynak: The Lancet