Professional Practice Guide -FCSV-EN

9 2.2 SYMPTOMS TO ASSESS WITH PATIENTS PAD symptoms most often present as muscle cramping, particularlyduringwalking—acondition referred to as intermittent claudication. It should be noted that only 5%–10% of patients with PAD will present with symptoms of intermittent claudication¹. It is therefore important for the physician to gather as much information as possible in order to assess disease severity based on the clinical stage of PAD and prescribe appropriate treatment in a timely manner. The first step for the healthcare professional is to discuss and confirm the symptoms experienced by the patient, as outlined in the list below. Diagnostic testing, as described in Section 3, can then be used to confirm or rule out the presence of PAD. for the Management of Peripheral Artery Disease • Painful muscle cramps in the leg during walking, resulting in intermittent claudication • Numbness, weakness, or heaviness in the muscles • Pain in the buttocks • Burning sensation or tingling in the feet • Appearance of ulcers or wounds on the skin of the legs or feet that do not heal • Loss of hair on the feet or toes • Pain in the feet or toes at rest • Changes in skin colour (reddish or bluish skin or pallor) • Cooling of the skin of the legs and feet • Erectile dysfunction, defined as the inability to obtain or maintain an erection