General Practitioner
General information for the GP is given below.
Peripheral Artery Disease
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) affects more than 230 million people worldwide, causing significant morbidity and mortality, yet receives little attention. New therapies are needed to prevent serious complications such as amputations.
Chronic inflammation plays a significant role in atherosclerosis. Colchicine, an inexpensive and safe anti-inflammatory drug, inhibits various inflammatory factors and reduces serious cardiovascular problems.
Colchicine has long been used for gout. New research shows that low-dose colchicine reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and death by about 20% in people with coronary artery disease (CAD). Consequently, colchicine deserves further evaluation in patients with PAD, who are expected to derive an even greater benefit because of the more severe and extensive atherosclerosis.
LEADER-PAD is an international, investigator-driven, double-blind, randomized study to assess and examine the efficacy and safety of colchicine 0.5 mg/ daily in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD).
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To prevent premature withdrawal due to side effects such as abdominal pain, nausea, or diarrhea, all participants will receive colchicine for the first two weeks. Those patients who tolerate colchicine will undergo randomization and be assigned to either colchicine 0.5mg/daily or placebo for the duration of the trial.