Low-dose aspirin may be just as effective as the more expensive Plavix when combined with a walking program to treat leg pain that’s associated with narrowing of the leg arteries. What’s known as peripheral artery disease, or PAD, can cause pain in the legs during walking because of decreased blood supply in the legs. This is known as intermittent claudication. This pain usually goes away once a person stops walking…Verghese Mathew, MD, agrees. He is an interventional cardiologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. The big picture with PAD is all about improving overall heart health. This includes controlling blood pressure, cholesterol levels, diabetes, and encouraging people to quit smoking if they smoke.

WebMD, by Denise Mann, 02/22/2012

Tags: Cardiology, effectiveness of aspirin, intermittent claudication, interventional cardiologist, Mayo Clinic Rochester, narrowing of the leg arteries, PAD, peripheral artery disease, Plavix, Research, Verghese Mathew