What problems are caused by peripheral vascular disease?
In mild cases, peripheral vascular disease can show no symptoms. However, as blood supply is progressively blocked, it can cause claudication, rest pain, vascular ulceration and gangrene. • Claudication – the development of pain in the calf after walking for a distance, up an incline or up stairs. The distance you can walk before such pain occurs is referred to as ‘claudication distance’. The leg and foot look and feel normal as long as you are resting. As the claudication distance becomes shorter and shorter (i.e. the onset of pain is quicker), physical activities become more and more restricted. Giving up smoking is very important to stop claudication from worsening. Regular exercise by walking through the pain threshold can sometimes increase the claudication distance. • Rest pain – pain in the foot even when not walking. This is distressing and difficult to get relief from. Quitting smoking can stop peripheral vascular disease reaching this stage. This is a more severe stage of per
