Vascular Services

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Claudication
  - Introduction

Intermittent Claudication is a term describing pain in the calf often made worse by exercise and relieved by rest. The symptom is caused by a lack of oxygen to the muscles in the calf. They are quite literally asking for more blood. Resting reduces the oxygen demand allowing the muscles to recover. In physical terms it's a supply and demand phenomenon. Atherosclerosis (hardening) of the arteries, narrows the vessels in the leg as well as reducing their compliance. This prevents the vessels from increasing their capacity to meet the demands of the exercising muscle.