Telehealth to Improve Functional Status and Quality of Life in Veterans With PAD

Who can take part

• Diagnosis of PAD, defined as a history of an ankle-brachial index (ABI) of 0.90, prior revascularization of a lower limb for symptomatic disease more than 30 days prior to presentation, or ABI >0.90 with evidence of PAD based on noninvasive vascular laboratory testing or angiography; [and presence of claudication, defined as fatigue, discomfort, cramping or pain of vascular origin in the muscles of the lower extremities that is consistently induced by exercise and consistently relieved by rest within 10 minutes.]
• In addition, participants will require access to cellular signal at place of residence and/or exercise location

Who cannot take part

• significant visual or hearing impairment
• individuals whose function is limited by severe conditions such as severe ischemic heart disease or > Class II NYHA heart failure
• individuals currently enrolled in another exercise trial or cardiac rehab program
• individuals with uncontrolled psychiatric illness or dementia
• Justification for exclusion criteria centers on inability to safely participate in the remote intervention. Specific exclusion criteria includes the following:
• major lower extremity amputation
• critical limb ischemia
• inability to ambulate without a walker or wheelchair
• individuals capable of ambulating at a level comparable to the amount of exercise to be prescribed at baseline
• categorically vulnerable; pregnant women, prisoners, children, or persons who lack decision-making capacity