Disease Database Drug Database Alt. Intermittent claudication is a symptom of arterial insufficiency, a form of vascular disease. Specifically, intermittent claudication is a predictable pattern of lower leg pain caused by inadequate blood flow to exercising muscle.
Cigarette smoking is the most important risk factor for vascular disease bar none.
Others include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes mellitus and a family history of atherosclerosis. Inadequate blood flow to the lower extremities may result in deformed toenails, hair loss, skin thinning, and ulcers or infections on the feet or ankles. Pain in the lower legs can be caused by arthritis of the spine, herniated vertebral disk, and other diseases of the spine which can pinch the nerves that supply the legs. Muscle cramps can also cause leg pain, but do not exhibit the same three characteristics listed above. Before a course of action can be determined, the extent of arterial disease and the degree of debilitation it causes must be assessed.