Exercise and nursing therapy for patients with intermittent claudication.

Area of Science:

• Vascular Medicine
• Nursing Care
• Rehabilitation

Background:

• Intermittent claudication (IC) is a prevalent symptom of peripheral arterial disease, particularly in older adults.
• Invasive treatments for IC may not be suitable or effective for all patients, leading to functional limitations.
• Nursing interventions can enhance patient well-being and functional capacity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and implementation of an outpatient nursing service for patients with IC.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of nursing interventions, including exercise training and psychological support.
• To provide a model for nurses establishing similar programs for vascular patients.

Main Methods:

• Development of a specialized outpatient nursing service.
• Provision of structured exercise training programs.
• Delivery of psychological support to patients with IC.
• Review of outcomes for the first 102 patients referred to the program.

Main Results:

• The nursing intervention program demonstrated improvements in walking ability for patients with IC.
• The service successfully integrated exercise and psychological support components.
• Positive outcomes suggest the efficacy of this nursing-led approach.

Conclusions:

• Outpatient nursing services can effectively manage intermittent claudication by improving functional outcomes.
• Exercise training and psychological support are key components of successful nursing interventions for vascular patients.
• The described model offers valuable insights for nurses developing programs for chronic health conditions.