(medicine) Cramping pain or weakness in the lower extremities during exercise, caused by occlusion of the arteries.
| Sci-Tech Dictionary: intermittent claudication |
(medicine) Cramping pain or weakness in the lower extremities during exercise, caused by occlusion of the arteries.
| 5min Related Video: Intermittent claudication |
| Sports Science and Medicine: intermittent claudication |
A term derived from the latin word ‘claudicare’ meaning to limp. A patient suffering with intermittent claudication experiences cramping in the legs due to a reduction in the arterial blood supply to the muscles, causing him or her to limp. It is commonly associated with arteriosclerosis. It is induced by exercise and relieved by rest. Controlled exercise programmes, such as walking, are often recommended to improve circulation.
| Wikipedia: 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 calf muscle, which occurs during exercise and is relieved by a short period of rest.
Claudication derives from the Latin verb claudicare, "to limp."
When intermittent claudication is discussed it is measured by the number of "blocks" (e.g. 1 or 2 blocks) one can walk comfortably - the claudication distance.
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Most commonly it is due to vascular intermittent claudication caused by peripheral arterial disease. Neurogenic intermittent claudication is caused by spinal canal stenosis.
It often indicates severe atherosclerosis as it is the most common cause.
Intermittent claudication in and of itself is often a symptom of severe atherosclerotic disease of the peripheral vascular system and leads to arterial insufficiency.
One of the hallmarks of this clinical entity 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:
All the "P's"
Exercise can improve symptoms as do medication to control the lipid profile, diabetes and hypertension. Surgery is only indicated in severe cases with limb-threatening ischemia or lifestyle-limiting claudication. The vascular surgeon will perform an endarterectomy of leg arteries or an arterial bypass. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, beta-blockers, antiplatelet agents (ASA and clopidogrel), pentoxifylline and cilostazol (selective PDE3 inhibitor) are used for the treatment of intermittent claudication. Nutritional treatments can include vitamin E and vitamin B3 supplementation.
The herbal medicinal product Ginkgo Biloba has also been shown to significantly improve the symptoms of intermittent claudication (superior to placebo and comparable to pentoxifylline)[citation needed].
Relaxing and staying off of your calf will improve recovery speeds
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. Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of intermittent claudication.[2]
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