If a patient experiences calf pain after walking a short distance but the initial pressure study is WNL, what should the vascular technologist do next?

When a patient experiences calf pain after walking a short distance, this may indicate intermittent claudication, which is often associated with peripheral artery disease (PAD). The fact that the initial pressure study is within normal limits (WNL) does not rule out the presence of vascular insufficiency during exercise, as resting measurements may not capture abnormalities.

Conducting constant load treadmill testing is a valuable next step because it allows for the assessment of how the patient's blood flow responds to increased demand when walking, simulating the conditions under which the pain occurs. This type of testing can reveal abnormalities that are not apparent at rest, providing insight into the circulatory function and potential blockages that could be causing the claudication symptoms.

Additionally, constant load treadmill testing is a standard evaluation for diagnosing functional limitations and determining the severity of claudication. It can help differentiate vascular from non-vascular causes of calf pain, leading to more targeted treatment strategies.

The other options, while potentially useful in different contexts, do not address the immediate concern of determining the dynamic behavior of the vascular system during exertion. Simply having the patient rest and re-evaluate may not provide new information about the cause of the symptoms, and performing a duplex ultrasound or ordering a CT angiogram might