Exercise May be as Effective as Vascularization in Treating PAD

Therapy that includes walking and medication is considered the best first-line approach in treating most people with peripheral artery disease.

Published: January 8, 2013

If you have peripheral artery disease (PAD), you already know that extended periods of walking or other physical activity on your feet can bring on varying levels of pain and discomfort. But in a study from the Netherlands, presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in late 2012, researchers found that a supervised exercise program of 30 minutes each, performed twice a week, was actually as effective as endovascular revascularization in terms of improving quality of life and daily functioning.