Management of the patient with intermittent claudication

Intermittent claudication is usually due to atherosclerotic plaque which induces a haemodynamically significant lesion of the aorto-iliac, femoral, popliteal or infrapopliteal vessels. Careful history-taking and physical exami-nation allow the physician to distinguish between this entity and other disorders associated with painful ambulation. Most of these patients can be managed with conservative medical therapy, with rigorous attention to the prevention of com-plications and the reduction of risk factors which are responsible for progression of the disease. This article will review the natural history of patients with intermittent claudication, discuss clinical evaluation and propose a strategy for