In this episode of the ESVS Podcast, we explore air pollution as an often-overlooked risk factor for peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

We are joined by Professor Alberto Maria Settembrini. Professor Settembrini is a vascular surgeon in Milan in MultiMedica and Professor of vascular surgery at Unicamillus University in Rome. He is a co-author of a large Rome-based longitudinal study involving over 1.7 million individuals. The study shows that long-term exposure to PM2.5, NO₂, and black carbon is associated with increased PAD incidence, with stronger effects in males and people aged 55–69.

Professor Settembrini discusses the links between different pollutants and PAD, how pollution interacts with traditional risk factors (obesity, diabetes, smoking, hypertension), the underlying mechanisms, and practical advice for vascular specialists ...