Aims: The ankle-brachial index is an efficient tool for objectively documenting the presence of lower extremity peripheral artery disease. However, its applicability for detection of critical leg ischemia is still controversial. We proposed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of the ankle-brachial index for critical ischemia. Materials and methods: Systolic blood pressure measurements for calculation of the ankle-brachial index were obtained in 90 patients with peripheral artery disease. Ankle-brachial index was computed in 3 different ways (using the lowest ankle pressure, the highest ankle pressure, and the mean of the ankle pressures), sensibility, specificity, positive and negative predictive value and overall accuracy for detecting critical ischemia were determined for each method. A value ≤ 0.4 was taken as cut-off point for critical leg ischemia. Prevalence of coronary and cerebrovascular atherosclerosis and conventional risk factors were also noted. Results: Using the lowest ankle pressure for computing ankle-brachial index provided higher sensitivity, and lower specificity for detecting critical leg ischemia, using the highest pressure was less sensitive, but more specific, and the mean pressure index gave intermediate results. Overall accuracy was highest for the latest method. The prevalence of generalized atherosclerosis was high in peripheral artery disease, but we found no significant difference between the intermittent claudication and the critical ischemia group. Conclusion: Ankle-brachial index measurements, regardless of the method used for calculation, cannot identify or rule out reliably critical leg ischemia. Peripheral artery disease confers an increased risk of cardiovascular disease regardless of symptom status or lower extremity perfusion severity.

p < 0,05), increase of EF by 2,5% (p < 0,05) were accompanied with decrease of LVMI by 12,2% (p < 0,05). 12-month treatment with combination ramipril and lercanidipine didn't influenced on TC, LDL-C, HDL-C levels, but TG level had statistically significant decrease by 12,9% (p < 0,05), that became correspondent to recommended level for patients without type 2 diabetes -1,80 mmol/l. Level of fasting glucose in blood serum hadn't exposed to statistically significant changes.Conclusions: Hipotensive effect of ramipril 5 mg and lercanidipine 10 mg/ daily in hypertensive patients with CAD and type 2 diabetes accompanies with left ventricular hypertrophy's regression, decrease of numbers of angina pectoris attacks, need in sublingual Nitroglycerine. This combination hasn't caused negative effect on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, but promotes decrease of manifestation of diabetic dyslipidemia and can be approved not only as treating agent but also as preventive medications in such patients.Objective: To evaluate the effects on Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) of a multifactorial therapeutic regimen based on 32 mg BID Candesartan during a 30 months period of follow-up. Material and Methods:We studied 74 (Age: 58 AE 9, Men: 71.6 %; BMI: 29.8 AE 5) diabetic patients (Type 2: 76 %) with Overt Diabetic Nephropathy (at inclusion: BP 155/89 mmHg, Creatinine 1.62 mg/dl, eGFR (MDRD): 59.2 ml/min/1.73 m2, HbA1c: 7.7 %, Proteinuria: 2.44 AE 1.3 gr/24 h) followed during 30 AE 4 months. After their inclusion and informed consent, all patients followed nephrologic and ophthalmologic controls every 6 months. VEGF levels were measured at entry and after 24-month follow-up. All patients received a multifactorial treatment based-on 32 mg BID Candesartan associated to an average of 3 antihypertensives agents (mainly diuretics (94.6 %)), statins (89%), antiplatelets (81%), insulin (78%) and oral antidiabetics (37.8 %). Analysis of data with SPSS 11.0 biostatistic program.