Intermittent claudication

Intermittent claudication
Intermittent claudication
Classification and external resources
ICD-10 I73.9
ICD-9 440.21
MeSH D007383

Intermittent claudication (Latin: claudicatio intermittens) is a clinical diagnosis given for muscle pain (ache, cramp, numbness or sense of fatigue),[1] classically in the calf muscle, which occurs during exercise, such as walking, and is relieved by a short period of rest.

Claudication derives from the Latin verb claudicare, "to limp".

Contents

Signs

One of the hallmarks of arterial claudication is that it occurs intermittently. It disappears after a brief rest and the patient can start walking again until the pain recurs. The following signs are general signs of atherosclerosis of the lower extremity arteries:

  • cyanosis
  • atrophic changes like loss of hair, shiny skin
  • decreased temperature
  • decreased pulse
  • redness when limb is returned to a "dependent" position

All the "P"s

  • Increase in Pallor
  • Decrease in Pulses
  • Perishing cold
  • Pain
  • Paraesthesia
  • Paralysis

Treatment

Exercise can improve symptoms; increased blood flow enhances the creation of collateral vessels to the affected muscle. However, if movement increases claudication then excessive movement is difficult if not impossible.

Pharmacological options exist as well. Medicines that control lipid profile, diabetes and hypertension may increase blood flow to the affected muscles and allow for increased activity levels. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta-blockers, antiplatelet agents (aspirin and clopidogrel), pentoxifylline and cilostazol (selective PDE3 inhibitor) are used for the treatment of intermittent claudication. However, medications will not remove the blockages from the body. Instead, they simply improve blood flow to the affected area.

Catheter based intervention is also an option. Atherectomy, stenting, and angioplasty to remove or push aside the arterial blockages are the most common procedures via catheter based intervention. These procedures can be performed by interventional radiologists, interventional cardiologists, vascular surgeons and thoracic surgeons, among others.

Surgery is the last resort; vascular surgeons can perform either endarterectomies on arterial blockages or perform an arterial bypass. However, open surgery poses a host of risks not present with catheter-based interventions.

Causes

Most commonly, intermittent (or vascular or venous) claudication is due to peripheral arterial disease which implies significant atherosclerotic blockages resulting in arterial insufficiency. It is distinct from neurogenic claudication, which is associated with lumbar spinal stenosis.

Epidemiology

Atherosclerosis affects up to 10% of the Western population older than 65 years and for intermittent claudication this number is around 5%. Intermittent claudication most commonly manifests in men older than 50 years.

References

  1. ^ "intermittent claudication" at Dorland's Medical Dictionary

Further reading


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • intermittent claudication — n cramping pain and weakness in the legs and esp. the calves on walking that disappears after rest and is usu. associated with inadequate blood supply to the muscles (as in Buerger s disease or arteriosclerosis) * * * see claudication * * * a… …   Medical dictionary

  • intermittent claudication — see claudication …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • intermittent claudication — /ɪntəˌmɪtnt klɔdəˈkeɪʃən/ (say intuh.mitnt klawduh kayshuhn) noun → claudication (def. 3) …  

  • intermittent claudication — noun lameness due to pain in leg muscles because the blood supply is inadequate; pain subsides with rest • Hypernyms: ↑lameness, ↑limping, ↑gimp, ↑gimpiness, ↑gameness, ↑claudication …   Useful english dictionary

  • Claudication — Classification and external resources ICD 10 I73.9 ICD 9 443.9 DiseasesDB …   Wikipedia

  • claudication — Limping, usually referring to intermittent c.. [L. claudicatio, fr. claudico, to limp] intermittent c. a condition caused by ischemia of the muscles; characterized by attacks of lameness and pain, brought on by walking, chiefly in the calf… …   Medical dictionary

  • claudication — [ˌklɔ:dɪ keɪʃ(ə)n] noun Medicine 1》 limping. 2》 (also intermittent claudication) a condition in which cramping pain in the leg is induced by exercise, typically caused by obstruction of the arteries. Origin ME: from L. claudicatio(n ), from… …   English new terms dictionary

  • claudication — n. limping. Intermittent claudication is a cramping pain, induced by exercise and relieved by rest, that is caused by an inadequate supply of blood to the affected muscles. It is most often seen in the calf and leg muscles as a result of atheroma …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • claudication — /klɔdəˈkeɪʃən/ (say klawduh kayshuhn) noun 1. a limp. 2. impairment in walking caused by a condition of the blood vessel that leads to a narrowing and hardening of the arteries that supply the feet, resulting in decreased blood flow. 3.… …  

  • Хромота Перемежающаяся (Intermittent Claudication) — см. Хромота. Источник: Медицинский словарь …   Медицинские термины

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