Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one the most frequent cause of death and disability globally, including Europe. CVD causes 3.9 million annual deaths in the European Union and the loss of 26 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) [1]. Among CVD, peripheral artery disease (PAD) is the third most frequent clinical manifestation of atherothrombosis after coronary artery disease and stroke. It affects more than 200 million people globally (236 million in 2015) and its prevalence is increasing not only in high-income but also in low-middle-income countries [2].
