Use of Entresto Sacubitril/Valsartan for the Treatment of Peripheral Arterial Disease

Current approaches for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) lack the success observed in the treatment of other forms of vascular diseases. A potential reason for this may be that available treatments do not target the pathological mechanisms implicated in the development of PAD. These mechanisms include obstruction of aortic-iliac arteries and its branches due to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and mitochondrial and microvascular dysfunction. Although blood flow improves following surgical revascularization, pain free and maximal walking duration does not improve to the same degree. This suggests that in addition to blood flow obstruction, mitochondrial and microvascular dysfunction are significant factors implicated in the development of PAD. Therefore, any treatment designed for patients with PAD should be aimed at improving mitochondrial and microvascular function. In this regard, natriuretic peptides (NP) have been shown to increase mitochondrial and microvascular density and these two findings have been associated with increases in oxygen consumption and perfusion of skeletal muscles. The Investigator proposes that an increase in endogenous natriuretic peptides by inhibiting the enzyme that degrades it in blood will increase mitochondrial and microvascular function and this will be associated with an increase in maximal and pain free walking duration. To test this hypothesis the investigators have designed a double blind randomized controlled clinical trial providing sacubitril/valsartan for 12 weeks trial period.The improvements in mitochondrial and microvascular function will be measured using magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy and functional MR imaging and an exercise stress test will be used to assess maximal and pain free walking duration. This trial will provide patients with PAD with a non-surgical, cause-specific treatment option.