Evaluation of the patient with intermittent claudication.

The most common cause of intermittent claudication is atherosclerotic occlusive arterial disease. Differentiation of the common musculoskeletal and neurologic conditions that may mimic intermittent claudication is often possible with a careful history, but when insufficient detail is provided or multiple conditions exist, the findings on physical examination and noninvasive studies are useful. While physical examination provides a rough estimate of the degree of ischemia, assessment of functional impairment produced by occlusive arterial disease is best made with noninvasive studies before and after standard exercise. Arteriography is reserved for the patient for whom restoration of pulsatile flow is planned.