Special article
Peripheral arterial disease: Lack of awareness in CanadaLa maladie des artères périphériques : Méconnue au Canada

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0828-282X(09)70021-2Get rights and content

Background

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a common manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis and is associated with a high risk of stroke, myocardial infarction and cardiovascular death. PAD also fosters major morbidity by causing claudication, functional impairment, disability and amputation. PAD is largely unrecognized and under-treated compared with other cardiovascular diseases. The public health impact of PAD, as a contributor to Canadian national rates of heart attack, stroke, amputation, death and disability, will be challenging to address if the public is unaware of this common cardiovascular disease.

Objective

To assess public knowledge of PAD in Canada.

Methods

A cross-sectional, population-based telephone survey of 501 adults 50 years of age and older (mean age 64.4 years) was conducted using random digit dialing. The survey assessed demographics and risk factors of the study population and knowledge of PAD causes and consequences.

Results

Survey respondents reported a high prevalence of atherosclerotic risk factors including high blood pressure (43%), high blood cholesterol (37%), diabetes (12%) and smoking history (18% current and 49% former smokers). Only 36% of respondents reported familiarity with PAD, which was significantly lower than other cardiovascular diseases or risk factors. Knowledge of perceived consequences of PAD was low and knowledge gaps were more pronounced in older, less educated and lower income respondents.

Conclusions

The Canadian public is largely unaware of PAD as a prevalent systemic manifestation of atherosclerosis and its associated morbidity and mortality. National PAD awareness programs should be instituted to increase PAD knowledge to levels comparable with other cardiovascular diseases and risk factors.

Historique

La maladie des artères périphériques (MAP) est une manifestation courante de l’athérosclérose systémique et s’associe à un risque élevé d’accident vasculaire cérébral (AVC), d’infarctus du myocarde et de décès cardiovasculaire. La MAP entraîne également une importante morbidité, y compris une claudication, une atteinte fonctionnelle, une invalidité et une amputation. Elle est largement méconnue et sous-traitée par rapport à d’autres maladies cardiovasculaires. Les répercussions de la MAP sur la santé publique, à titre de facteur contribuant aux taux canadiens de crise cardiaque, d’AVC, d’amputation, de décès et d’invalidité, seront difficiles à déterminer si le public ne connaît pas cette maladie cardiovasculaire courante.

Objectif

Évaluer la sensibilisation du public à la MAP au Canada.

Méthodologie

Les auteurs ont procédé à une enquête téléphonique transversale en population auprès de 501 adultes de 50 ans et plus (âge moyen de 64,4 ans) au moyen de la composition aléatoire. L’enquête a permis d’évaluer les facteurs démographiques et les facteurs de risque de la population à l’étude ainsi que leur connaissance des causes et des conséquences de la MAP.

Résultats

Les répondants à l’enquête ont déclaré une forte prévalence de facteurs de risque d’athérosclérose, y compris l’hypertension (43 %), un taux élevé de cholestérol sanguin (37 %), du diabète (12 %) et des antécédents de tabagisme (18 % de fumeurs et 49 % d’anciens fumeurs). Seulement 36 % des répondants ont déclaré connaître la MAP, un taux considérablement plus faible que pour les autres maladies ou facteurs de risque cardiovasculaires. Les connaissances quant aux conséquences perçues de la MAP étaient faibles, et cette lacune était plus prononcée chez les répondants plus âgés, moins instruits et au revenu moins élevé.

Conclusions

Le public canadien connaît très peu la MAP à titre de manifestation systémique prévalente de l’athérosclérose ainsi que la morbidité et la mortalité qui s’y rapportent. Il faudrait entreprendre des programmes nationaux de sensibilisation à la MAP pour faire connaître la MAP à des taux comparables aux autres maladies et facteurs de risque cardiovasculaires.

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