Intermittent claudication Mamae ā-uaua waewae taratahi

The main cause of intermittent claudication is a condition called peripheral vascular disease (PVD). This condition happens when you have atherosclerosis, or a build up of plaques or fatty deposits in your  arteries. 

PVD reduces the blood flow in your leg. It means that the extra blood needed when you exercise cannot reach your muscles.

When muscles get short of blood, they start to seize up or cramp, causing tightness and pain.

Peripheral vascular disease

Atherosclerosis

The symptoms of intermittent claudication are a cramp-like pain, aching, or tiredness in the muscles. It usually happens in your leg, and particularly your calf, when you exercise. The pain is relieved when you rest. 

If you have intermittent claudication, the arteries supplying blood to your heart and brain are also likely to be narrowed. This means you are more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.

Being diagnosed with intermittent claudication is an opportunity to change your lifestyle and use other therapies to help stop this happening.

Heart attack

Stroke

To diagnose intermittent claudication, your healthcare provider will ask you questions about your leg pain and how far you can walk. They will also examine your leg's:

• pulses
• skin colour
• temperature.

Most cases of intermittent claudication do not get worse for many years. Treatment options include:

• stopping smoking
• walking therapy
• medication
• surgery.

Stopping smoking

If you smoke, the most effective treatment for peripheral vascular disease is to completely stop. Your symptoms will improve within a few weeks of stopping.

Walking therapy

Walking therapy can be as good for intermittent claudication as surgery. As well as helping you keep active, walking helps small new blood vessels grow, which improves the blood flow in your legs.

While any walking is good for your health, you need to do a high intensity programme to improve your symptoms. This involves walking for 30 minutes every day at a speed that causes pain in your legs. When you feel the pain, stop and rest until it goes away and then start again.

Your healthcare provider may be able to refer you to a physiotherapist to help you do this.

Find a physiotherapist — Healthpointexternal link

Medication

You are likely to be prescribed:

• a statin cholesterol medicine (even if you do not have high cholesterol)
• an anti-clotting medicine like low-dose aspirin or clopidogrel to help prevent blood clots from forming.

If you have high blood pressure or diabetes, it is very important you have these well controlled. Your healthcare provider will make sure you have the medication you need to control these conditions.

Surgery

If your symptoms are still very bad after 6 months of walking therapy, you might need surgery. The options include:

• angioplasty — where the surgeon inflates a tiny balloon in your artery causing it to widen, and possibly fits a stent (a small plastic or metal tube) to keep your artery open
• arterial bypass — where the surgeon redirects the blood flow around the blockage.