The pain stops after resting for a while. It occurs when not enough blood is flowing to a muscle. The artery that normally supplies blood to the muscle becomes narrow, and less blood can flow through the artery. The blockage may lead to limb amputation. At rest, enough blood flows to the muscle to meet the needs of the muscle.
Claudication typically is treated with exercise and cessation of smoking.
In severe cases a surgical bypass or removal of arterial obstructions maybe necessary. Approximately 320 patients over the age of 40 will participate in the 12-week nationwide study with about 15 patients enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh. To qualify, participants in the study must be relatively healthy, able to walk on a treadmill, and available to return regularly for testing. Study participants will receive the drug, called OPC-28326 or a placebo. Through this study we hope to determine its effects in the treatment of moderate to severe intermittent claudication caused by peripheral artery disease.