Except in severe cases, the treatment of claudication is medical, with the goal of impeding disease progression. This may consist of both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic approaches. In the event that medical and exercise therapy fail or patients have lifestyle-limiting claudication symptoms, surgical treatment options are the next line of therapy. Balloon angioplasty should be used for clinically significant infrapopliteal arterial disease.
Bailout bare-metal and drug-eluting stents can be considered for tibial arterial disease that is refractory to treatment with balloon angioplasty. However, paclitaxel-coated balloons and stents in the femoropopliteal artery has been shown to increase the risk for death.
Endovascular intervention is not appropriate for most single-vessel, mildly symptomatic, or asymptomatic blockages of infrapopliteal vessels.
Learn more about the treatment and management of PAD.
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Cite this: Romesh Khardori. Fast Five Quiz: Type 2 Diabetes and Peripheral Artery Disease - Medscape - Feb 22, 2023.
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