ABSTRACT
Over 5 million Americans suffer with peripheral arterial occlusive disease of the lower extremities. The prevalence of this disease increases with age, therefore as the population ages, there will be an increasing number of patients to treat. Intermittent claudication is the most common symptom. Some patients with intermittent claudication are so impaired that either surgical or endovascular intervention is warranted. However, for the vast majority of patients, intervention is not indicated as claudication is more of an annoyance than a disability. In the United States, pharmacologic therapy has been limited to only one approved agent. Presently, a second medication has received FDA approval, and more are under scrutiny. This chapter will evaluate some of the more promising and potentially available metabolic, hemorrheologic and vasodilating agents for the treatment of intermittent claudication secondary to peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Antiplatelet agents may also have salutary effects on claudication; these are discussed in Chapter 19.
