Final answer:
Determining the most likely cause of the patient's symptoms requires more context, but hypertension and atherosclerosis are major contributors to cardiovascular diseases, with smoking being the main risk factor for PAD.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most likely cause of the patient's symptoms cannot be determined without additional contextual information about the symptoms themselves. However, considering the information provided, we can discuss the potential relationship between the given options and cardiovascular diseases. Hypertension and atherosclerosis are two conditions that can give rise to various cardiovascular diseases. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is strongly associated with the risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels. Smokers are at the highest risk for PAD, which manifests via atherosclerosis- the buildup of fatty plaques in the arteries. It is also worth noting that hypertension can contribute to the injury of artery walls, thus promoting atherosclerosis. To make an accurate assessment, one would need specific symptoms and potentially the results of diagnostic tests like an ankle-brachial index for PAD, or electrocardiogram and other cardiac tests for determining the presence of a cardiac arrhythmia.