Many of the items listed above that you can do at home to help this problem are also useful for preventing intermittent claudication. While it’s not always possible to prevent it completely, it may be possible to delay when it develops. That’s important because intermittent claudication is a symptom of PAD, which can significantly increase your risk of problems like heart disease, heart attack, stroke and more. The most important preventive measures include: Quit using tobacco products or don’t start using them at all. Drink alcohol in moderation only. Moderate alcohol use is one drink per day in women (no more than seven drinks per week) and two drinks per day in men (no more than 14 drinks per week). Maintain a healthy weight. Eat a healthy diet. Exercise regularly. Manage your stress and mental well-being.