Peripheral arterial disease

Prescribing Notes:

• Patients suffering intermittent claudication should be advised to exercise and stop smoking.
• First-line management of Raynaud’s phenomenon includes avoiding exposure to cold and stopping smoking.
• Naftidofuryl, cilostazol, pentoxifylline and inositol are not recommended for the treatment of intermittent claudication.
• The e/c formulations of aspirin are not recommended.
• Patients with proven intolerance to aspirin may be prescribed clopidogrel.
• The co-prescribing of clopidogrel with omeprazole or esomeprazole should be avoided due to the potential antagonism of the anti-platelet effect. If concomitant use of clopidogrel and a PPI is necessary, then lansoprazole would be an appropriate choice.