Which symptom would indicate advanced PAD rather than simple claudication?

Which symptom would indicate advanced PAD rather than simple claudication?

• A. Intermittent claudication
• B. Rest pain or non-healing ulcers
• C. Numbness at rest
• D. Dizziness

Answer: (B)

Advanced PAD shows tissue ischemia even at rest. When blood flow is critically reduced, pain can occur while resting—often in the toes or feet—and wounds or ulcers may fail to heal. These rest pain and non-healing ulcers signal progression to critical limb ischemia, a stage where the limb is at high risk and needs urgent evaluation. Intermittent claudication, by contrast, is exertional pain that appears with walking and improves with rest, typical of earlier disease. Dizziness isn’t a direct symptom of limb ischemia, and numbness at rest is less specific; the hallmark of advanced disease is rest pain combined with non-healing ulcers.

Advanced PAD shows tissue ischemia even at rest. When blood flow is critically reduced, pain can occur while resting—often in the toes or feet—and wounds or ulcers may fail to heal. These rest pain and non-healing ulcers signal progression to critical limb ischemia, a stage where the limb is at high risk and needs urgent evaluation.

Intermittent claudication, by contrast, is exertional pain that appears with walking and improves with rest, typical of earlier disease. Dizziness isn’t a direct symptom of limb ischemia, and numbness at rest is less specific; the hallmark of advanced disease is rest pain combined with non-healing ulcers.