Market Competition Influences Practice Patterns in Management of Patients With Intermittent Claudication in the Vascular Quality Initiative

Abstract

The Society for Vascular Surgery clinical practice guidelines recommend best medical therapy (BMT) and smoking cessation before revascularization of patients with intermittent claudication (IC). Notably, atherectomy and tibial-level interventions are generally discouraged in IC management; however, high regional market competition may incentivize physicians to treat patients more aggressively. We sought to determine the association between regional market competition and index endovascular treatment of patients with IC.