Final answer:
Vascular claudication is diagnosed through clinical features and non-invasive tests like the ankle-brachial index, with significant hemodynamic changes indicated by a drop in ankle systolic blood pressure by >20 mm Hg after exercise.
The correct Option is: c) 40 mm Hg.
Step-by-step explanation:
The criteria for diagnosing vascular claudication do not solely rely on the amplitude from trough to peak of blood pressure measurements. This is because vascular claudication, a condition also known as intermittent claudication, is primarily characterized by muscle pain on exercise due to inadequate blood flow to the affected muscles, typically due to peripheral artery disease.
Diagnosis is generally based on clinical features such as the nature of the pain, it is typically reproducible with exercise, and improvement upon resting. Non-invasive tests such as the ankle-brachial index (ABI), Doppler ultrasound, and imaging modalities like MRA (Magnetic Resonance Angiography) or CTA (Computed Tomography Angiography) can help in the assessment.
However, when considering hemodynamic measurements, a significant drop in ankle systolic blood pressure after exercise compared to at rest (usually by >20 mm Hg) suggests vascular claudication.