Peripheral vascular disease

Considerations

Peripheral vascular disease refers in this subchapter to vascular disease other than coronary artery disease. It relates to lower limbs arterial disease, carotid vessel and cerebral vessel disease, mesenteric ischaemia and renal artery disease.

A diagnosis of peripheral vascular disease implies an elevated cardiovascular risk. For instance, an applicant with femoral artery stenosis, successfully stented, should be considered as having an elevated 5-year cardiovascular risk of over 10%, possibly suffering from myocardial ischaemia or carotid artery disease.

In the case of cerebral ischaemia the probability of recurrence of stroke is of aeromedical significance. An information sheet 'Strokes and Transient Ischaemic Attacks' is available here:

MIS011 Strokes and transient ischaemic attacks [PDF 26 KB]

Please refer also to the neurology chapter of this manual.

Information to be provided

• All specialists’ reports relating to any peripheral vascular disease manifestation, to include any imaging reports and operating notes;
• A cardiologist report, to include evidence of absence of cardiac ischaemia;
• Up to date specialists’ reports and investigations results are likely to be requested by CAA.

Disposition

• A history of peripheral vascular disease should be assessed as being of aeromedical significance.