If you feel pain or cramping in your calf after walking a certain distance, and it goes away when you stop, it may be what doctors call intermittent claudication, one of the best-known signs of peripheral artery disease.
What causes it?
Fat and calcium build up on the walls of the leg arteries and narrow them, so the muscles don't get enough blood during exercise. The same disease affects the heart and brain arteries, so it is an important marker of overall arterial health.
Risk factors
- Smoking, the strongest risk factor.
- Diabetes.
- High blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Age and family history.
Signs of advanced disease
- Foot pain at rest, especially at night.
- Non-healing wounds or discoloured toes.
- A cold foot with weak pulses.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis includes checking pulses, the ankle-brachial index and Doppler; a CT angiogram may be requested to locate and grade the narrowing.
Treatment
- Lifestyle changes: stopping smoking, a regular walking programme, and control of sugar, blood pressure and lipids.
- Medication: to reduce symptoms and protect the arteries.
- Endovascular treatment: balloon angioplasty with a stent when needed, through a small puncture.
- Surgery: such as bypass in selected cases.
The doctor chooses the best option based on symptom severity, the location of the narrowing and the patient's overall health.
Content on this website is for awareness only and does not replace a specialist medical examination.