(RxWiki News) Patients with atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) saw improved results from revascularization to treat intermittent claudication (IC), a common symptom of PAD, a new study found.
Patients either received revascularization or a medical intervention, which included a walking program, counseling to stop smoking and medications.
Patients with PAD who received revascularization saw better walking ability, better health-related quality of life and fewer symptoms when compared to those who received medical intervention.
In PAD, the arteries in the body become narrow, which reduces blood flow to the affected area. When there is not enough blood flow in the legs, then one may experience intermittent claudication which is a symptom of PAD that shows itself as pain in the calves or feet during walking.
Revascularization is a procedure performed to restore or improve blood flow to a certain area.
According to the University of Washington researchers behind this study, patients with IC who received revascularization saw improvements in walking distance, speed of walking, pain and stair-climbing ability, among other improvements.
This study looked at 323 adult patients with IC.
Talk to your doctor about the PAD treatment that is safest and most effective for you.
This study was published in JAMA Surgery.
This study was supported by a grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The authors of this study did not disclose any conflicts of interest.
