Statins and Infrainguinal Vascular Bypass Procedures

Statins exert several beneficial effects on patients with peripheral arterial disease, whether managed conservatively or undergoing open surgical/endovascular procedures. Statins improve perioperative and long-term mortality and morbidity rates in these patients. There is also evidence that statins improve infrainguinal bypass graft patency rates and are associated with reduced graft restenosis and amputation rates in these procedures. This review considers the beneficial effects of statins on patients undergoing infrainguinal bypass graft procedures and discusses the implicated pathomechanisms.