title: Interventionalists' guide to the patient's experience of lower extremity arterial occlusive disease.
abstract: This article is intended as a guide for all who propose to intervene in patients with symptomatic lower extremity arterial occlusive disease. It reviews the natural history of and therapies for intermittent claudication. The results of a survey of claudicants are summarized; this survey gathered data on claudicants' general health, comorbid conditions, symptoms of claudication, and functional abilities. Respondents predicted a 20% improvement in their ability to perform instrumental activities of daily living (eg, walking several blocks, climbing one flight of stairs, performing household tasks) if lower extremity symptoms were relieved. This level of improvement is consistent with that reported in the literature following revascularization. The conclusion is that patients with claudication have modest goals with respect to improvement following vascular intervention. More data should be collected on the functional outcomes of vascular intervention so that patients can make better informed choices regarding treatment of symptomatic lower extremity arterial occlusive disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: McDaniel
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Macdonald
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Mangione
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Mott
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jette
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Malenka
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification*; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007383:Intermittent Claudication / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D010348:Patient Care Team; D016896:Treatment Outcome