The most common symptom of peripheral artery disease (PAD) is intermittent claudication (muscle pain, aching or fatigue with walking).
The ankle/brachial index (ABI) is a measurement of lower-extremity arterial circulation. The ABI is the ratio of the arterial blood pressure at the ankle divided by the arm blood pressure. Evaluation of the arterial supply is done by measuring blood pressures at the ankles and comparing those pressures to the blood pressures in the arms.
Treadmill exercise with ankle brachial indices (ABI) may be used in addition to resting measurements of lower extremity arterial pressures. The ankle pressure and ABI drops after exercise in patients with intermittent claudication due to PAD.
