by nurseMargo

I thought that interm. claudication occurs during exercise only, but today in one of the questions it said that pt may experience pain even during rest.. So i was thinking, if i have a pt like that, who's experiencing intermittent claudication while resting, what would i tell him to do? How would i position his leg/s to ease pain?
Or there is nothing, except the pain killer?
Please, clarify it for me if you can, thanks a lot !!!

it's just shows you that the stenosed lumen is getting more clogged and might need further evaluation wether the patient now needs surgical revascularization. watch close for sx of complete total occlusion if it's a new occurence.

Claudication and intermittent claudication is caused by arterial insufficiency.

Claudication is the cramp-like muscular pain caused by poor circulation of the blood to the leg muscles and is commonly associated with atherosclerosis.

Intermittent claudication refers to the cramp-like muscular pain that occurs at certain times, usually when walking for a certain peroid of time and is relieved by rest. It is a form of claudication.

The location of the pain helps to deduce the site of arterial disease. Generally the pain occurs one joint level below the disease process. Calf pain indicates reduced blood flow through the superficial femoral or popliteal artery, hip or buttock pain may be from reduced blood flow in the abdominal aorta or common iliac or hypogastric arteries.

Claudication at rest does indicate lack of blood flow that may require arterial bypass grafting such as femoral popliteal bypass.

To help relieve this pain, the extremity should be lowered to a dependent position to improve perfusion pressure to the distal tissues. Just keep an eye for edema from the extemity being dependent too long.

Hope this helps

Originally Posted by DusktilDawn

Claudication and intermittent claudication is caused by arterial insufficiency.

Claudication is the cramp-like muscular pain caused by poor circulation of the blood to the leg muscles and is commonly associated with atherosclerosis.

Intermittent claudication refers to the cramp-like muscular pain that occurs at certain times, usually when walking for a certain peroid of time and is relieved by rest. It is a form of claudication.

The location of the pain helps to deduce the site of arterial disease. Generally the pain occurs one joint level below the disease process. Calf pain indicates reduced blood flow through the superficial femoral or popliteal artery, hip or buttock pain may be from reduced blood flow in the abdominal aorta or common iliac or hypogastric arteries.

Claudication at rest does indicate lack of blood flow that may require arterial bypass grafting such as femoral popliteal bypass.

To help relieve this pain, the extremity should be lowered to a dependent position to improve perfusion pressure to the distal tissues. Just keep an eye for edema from the extemity being dependent too long.

Hope this helps

Thank you , Dusktildown! Got it