1. Risk factors for PVD

The risk factors include:

1. Smoking: is the single most important risk factor and increases risk  by 9x
2. Hypercholesterolaemia/hyperlipidaemia
3. Hypertension: patients with PVD have higher mean pressure than controls (x3 increased risk)
4. Diabetes Mellitus: significantly higher risk of PVD in this condition (x4 increased risk)
5. Family history of cardiovascular disease
6. Cardiac disease*
7. Cerebrovascular disease*

* These conditions are also caused by atherosclerosis and hence their presence increases the likely hood of the patient having PVD