How to cure intermittent claudication ?
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Answers:
If you have or do these:
Cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol levels...
Control them.
Diet, exercise.
Lose weight
Your physician will put you on medicines (like Clopidogrel) , but you need to work hard to get fit, eat healty. Have your doctor recommend a dietician. Walk EVERY day. Buy a treadmill. If you are not taking anything now, an aspirin a day would help until you get a plan from the doctor.
Otherwise you are looking at vascular surgery in your future for both the legs in your veins and cardiovascular surgery as vascular disease increases your risk for a heart attack.
Lifestyle changes will help you much more effectively than drugs alone!
Good luck and a long & healthy future to you!
Unfortunately there is no cure.
You can't undo what has already been done but some options are; depending on the amount of blockage and how much it effects your life, you can choose to do nothing and live with the pain. Or you could have a stent put in the blockage. Or you could have a bypass on the blockage. You and your vascular Doctor could discuss the options for you. I understand they have much success with either procedure. Or opt for the medication to see if it makes a difference for you. I wish you luck and success in which ever option you decide on.
That's another name for PVD ( Peripheral Vascular Disease),or hardening of the arteries.Derived from the Latin = to limp. These blockages will never re-open spontaneously,but they themselves are not dangerous,it's only the symptoms they cause that are important. What you must do is identify any risk factors like smoking,excessive weight,high blood pressure etc,stop smoking and get evaluated by a MD,to get the other under control.Low cholesterol diet & excersize like walking, is vital element in the treatment. You must be evaluated and follow the treatment plan from your MD to the letter,for the rest of your life.The good news is that most patients do improve,and collateral circulation will take over what the affected arteries have declined in function. There is much info on Google & other websites.Take care. SW FNP
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