Intermittent claudication (IC) typically refers to lower extremity skeletal muscle pain that occurs during exercise. IC presents when there is insufficient oxygen delivery to meet the metabolic requirements of the skeletal muscles. Intermittent claudication is a common manifestation of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which includes atherosclerotic stenosis of arteries in the extremities. IC is commonly localized to the thigh, hip, buttock, and calf muscles. Pain within these muscle groups is reproducibly induced by walking and relieved with rest. The severity of pain can sometimes correlate with the degree of stenosis or blockage in arteries supplying the lower extremities.
The key feature of intermittent claudication is that the muscle discomfort is reproducible. The pain usually comes on during physical activity and subsides after a period of rest. The key reason for the pain is inadequate blood flow. Intermittent claudication is a very common problem seen in patients with diabetes mellitus and people who smoke.
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