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What is claudication?
3 December 2025
This is a muscle condition characterized by pain in the arms and legs that arises after walking or exercising due to a lack of blood and oxygen triggered by physical activity, which is relieved by rest.
In claudication, also called intermittent claudication, the arteries supplying blood to the extremities, especially the legs, are narrowed, generally by an accumulation of fatty deposits on the arterial walls.
Although it is not a constant pain, it is a warning sign because it may indicate possible atherosclerosis or peripheral artery disease, with the potential to trigger a heart attack or a stroke.
There are a number of conditions that can favor claudication, such as:
- Family history of atherosclerosis or peripheral artery disease.
- Diabetes.
- Chronic kidney disease.
- Smoking.
- High cholesterol levels.
- High blood pressure (hypertension).
- Overweight or obesity.
- Being between 50 and 70 years of age.
Signs and symptoms Claudication
- Sore thighs, hips, buttocks, calves, and feet.
- Discomfort in shoulders and arms.
- Pain improves with rest.
- Changes in skin color.
- Skin lesions that do not heal.
- Numbness.
- Cold skin.
The risks and complications of claudication are closely related to peripheral artery disease, which can include the death of muscle and skin tissues or the amputation of a limb.
Diagnosis and treatment Claudication
The doctor will analyze your symptoms and medical history, perform a physical examination, and request the following tests:
- Doppler ultrasound.
- Segmental blood pressure measurements.
- Stress tests.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Computed tomography (CT).
Treatment is based on relieving pain and, above all, reducing the risks of vascular diseases, as well as preventing tissue damage, through:
- Physical activity with cycles of walking and resting.
- Pain relievers (analgesics).
- Medications to improve blood flow.
At the Internal Medicine Department of Centro Médico ABC, we offer you medical care services with the highest quality and safety, from the prevention, diagnosis, timely treatment, and follow-up of infectious, respiratory, endocrinological, dermatological, rheumatic, nephrological, gastrointestinal, and hematological pathologies, for both chronic-degenerative conditions and acute conditions, through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary model.
Related centers and departments Claudication
Fuentes:
- enfermedadesvasculares.com
- revespcardiol.org
- cun.es
- elsevier.es
- mayoclinic.com
- msdmanuals.com
- wnyurology.com
- topdoctors.es
- medigraphic.com
- Ortiz PY, Rodríguez CE. Distancia de claudicación e índice tobillo-brazo en pacientes con insuficiencia arterial tratados con células madre. Revista Cubana de Angiología y Cirugía Vascular. 2021;22(2):1-14.
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The dissemination of the content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace, under any circumstance or condition, a consultation with a specialist doctor, for which the ABC Medical Center is not responsible for the different use that may be given to it. If you require more information related to the subject, we suggest you contact the specialist doctor you trust directly.
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