SVS Publishes Clinical Practice Guidelines on Management of Intermittent Claudication

September 24, 2025—The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) announced the release of updated clinical guidelines for the management of intermittent claudication.

The updated guidelines, which incorporate approximately a decade of new evidence, were published by Michael S. Conte, MD, et al in Journal of Vascular Surgery (2025;82:303-326).

According to the society, the recommendations are the culmination of a multiyear, multidisciplinary effort and mark the first time SVS has included a formal patient panel during the process of guideline development.

SVS stated that directly involving patients in the guideline development process ensured that the new guidelines reflect not only the latest evidence but also the values, preferences, and experiences of people living with peripheral artery disease (PAD). The patient panel emphasized the importance of clear communication, setting realistic treatment goals, and providing support resources beyond the clinic, noted the press release.

Dr. Conte, Chair of the guideline writing group and Professor of Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, commented on the guidelines in the SVS press release.

“Treatment of patients with intermittent claudication should be individualized and frequently staged, beginning with education and noninvasive approaches,” stated Dr. Conte. “Patients with intermittent claudication should understand the relationship between PAD and cardiovascular events and be engaged in the lifestyle modifications and evidence-based medical therapies that are key to risk reduction. Shared decision-making on revascularization should be based on symptom severity, comorbid conditions, response to exercise and medications, anatomic pattern of disease, and a full consideration of the risk and benefit for the proposed intervention.”

The SVS press release, available online here, summarizes the updated guidelines and outlines the key recommendations.

The society noted the timeliness of updated guidelines, as September marks Peripheral Artery Disease Awareness Month.