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Peripheral Arterial Disease of the Legs - Medications

Medicines are sometimes used to treat peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Cholesterol-lowering medicines may slow atherosclerosis, the main cause of PAD. You may need additional medicines if you have high blood pressure or diabetes. Both of these conditions can speed up the development of PAD.

Medicines to control pain may also be used when treating PAD. In very rare cases, doctors use anticoagulants, such as warfarin (Coumadin, for example), to help prevent blood clots.

Medication Choices

Medicines that may be used to treat peripheral arterial disease (PAD) include:

What to Think About

Cilostazol (Pletal) has been shown to increase the time that people who have intermittent claudication can walk before developing leg pain. But side effects such as headache, diarrhea, and heart palpitations are common with this medicine.7

Studies show that antiplatelet medicines reduce the number of heart attacks and strokes in people with PAD when compared with a placebo. One study showed that clopidogrel (Plavix) worked better than aspirin in reducing the number of heart attacks and strokes for some people with PAD.5 But clopidogrel is not always prescribed, because it is more expensive than aspirin.

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: October 30, 2007
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.
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