What condition is characterized by intermittent claudication due to poor blood flow?

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a condition that occurs when the arteries narrow or become blocked, leading to reduced blood flow to the limbs, commonly the legs. One of the hallmark symptoms of PAD is intermittent claudication, which is characterized by pain, cramping, or weakness in the muscles of the legs during activities such as walking or climbing stairs. This discomfort typically resolves with rest. The poor blood flow in PAD results primarily from atherosclerosis, where fatty deposits build up on the arterial walls, leading to reduced oxygen and nutrients reaching the extremities.

In contrast, conditions like heart attack and stroke are primarily related to issues in the heart or brain, affecting cardiac or cerebral blood flow rather than peripheral circulation. Aortic dissection involves a tear in the aorta and is not specifically related to claudication; it presents with severe, sudden pain rather than intermittent leg symptoms. Thus, the defining feature of intermittent claudication and its relationship with inadequate blood supply makes peripheral artery disease the appropriate choice in this context.