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Elective PVI for claudication linked to worse limb outcomes and higher costs
Vascular surgeons have long debated whether and when to intervene on claudication. A new study suggests the field may be intervening too often, too early and with consequences that compound over time. The findings, recently published in the Journal of…
Missing a step? Searching for meaning in claudication research
A team of leading vascular surgeons in the care of patients with PAD weigh up evidence for the treatment of claudication, calling for research focused on clarifying who should be revascularized, and who should continue with medical management and exercise…
Care for intermittent claudication considered ‘inappropriate’ found to be common, putting patients at ‘increased’ risk
In a multi-institutional cohort of patients with intermittent claudication (IC), care deemed inappropriate, or where the risk outweighs the benefit, by the SVS appropriate use criteria (AUC) for the management of IC was “common” and associated with increased risk of…
Updated intermittent claudication guidelines reflect a decade of new evidence
The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) recently published comprehensive update to its clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the management of intermittent claudication (IC), urging clinicians to prioritize conservative treatment strategies and patient-centered care. The new recommendations, which appeared in the…
SWEDEPAD re-opens paclitaxel safety discussion, finds drug-coated devices do not improve outcomes
Drug-coated balloons and stents were not associated with reduced risk of amputation or improved quality of life compared with uncoated devices in the SWEDEPAD 1 and 2 trials. In addition, higher five-year mortality with drug-coated devices in patients with intermittent…
SVS releases updated guidelines for intermittent claudication
The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) has issued a comprehensive update to its clinical practice guidelines for the management of intermittent claudication, urging clinicians to prioritize conservative treatment strategies and patient-centered care. The new guidelines, published in April 2025, reflect…
Study details aspects of early care improvements after publication of SVS appropriate use criteria for claudication
An observational study of intermittent claudication (IC) practice patterns before and after publication of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) appropriate use criteria (AUC) for IC management points to a series of areas where care has improved, alongside aspects still…
Incentives and coaching offer promise for improving supervised exercise therapy completion in claudicants
Study findings were presented during Saturday, June 22’s Plenary Session 7 support current vascular guidelines advocating for effective supervised exercise therapy (SET) prior to offering vascular intervention for patients with intermittent claudication. That is the belief of Colin Cleary, PhD,…
Patients with claudication receive more ‘aggressive’ surgical management in high-competition regions, study finds
Demonstrating the “susceptibility” of care delivery to regional market competition, M. Libby Weaver, MD, presented the case that intermittent claudication (IC) is a “novel and underdefined” driver of practice variation in management of patients at the 2023 Southern Association for…
SVS Vascular Health Step Challenge asks surgeons to walk the walk
Most American adults take an average of 5,000 steps per day. In fact, this simple act—getting out and moving—can be the key to prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system. The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS)…