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The
diagnosis of claudication is strongly suggested by the history and physical examination.
The affected limb may have weak pulses, loss of hair, shiny skin and deformed
toenails. Affected people usually have one or more of the risk factors mentioned
above. Special tests are done to confirm the diagnosis, which involves taking
special blood pressure measurements in the limbs and X-ray tests to look for blood
flow in the limbs. The treatment of choice for claudication is usually medical. This involves exercising, stopping smoking, tight control of diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol if present. People need to maintain clean, dry and soft skin of the affected limb, which may require the use of skin creams or lotions. The limbs should be protected from cold and trauma. They should be inspected regularly for infections or other skin damage. A medication called pentoxifylline, also known as Trental, is used in some cases to help reduce symptoms. In severe cases, surgery may be needed. Surgery may involve a "bypass" in which blood is diverted around an area of blockage. The surgeon generally uses either a person's vein from other part of the body, or artificial grafts that act as blood vessels. Sometimes, a special tube can be threaded through the skin, into the blocked artery. A balloon on the end of the tube can then be inflated to open up the area of the blockage. Sometimes a short tube is permanently placed across the blockage to prevent it from coming back. These tubes are known as stents. The type of procedure chosen depends on the location and severity of the blockage, as well as whether the person can tolerate a major surgery. When claudication interferes with a person's lifestyle or profession, surgery is often advised. People with blockage in the arteries that supply blood to the limbs, almost always have blockage in the arteries that supply the heart and brain. It's important for affected people to realize the seriousness of these blockages. Many people with claudication die within a few years from heart attacks or strokes. It's very important to implement aggressive medical management for all risk factors, regardless if a person has surgery. Claudication is a result of blockages in the arteries that supply the muscles of the limbs, usually in the legs. It's generally the result of diabetes, smoking and other risk factors for clogging of the arteries. Affected people need aggressive medical management and may also need surgery or other procedures to reduce their symptoms. If a person experiences leg pain or cramping every time they walk which is then relieved by rest, they should consult their doctor immediately. Copyright
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Claudication
refers to pain in the muscles that occurs after activity, caused due to clogged
or blocked arteries supplying blood to those muscles. Most commonly seen in the
legs during walking when the clogged arteries cannot supply enough extra oxygen
to the working muscles. The result is pain in the affected muscles, usually in
the calves. 
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