Do you know what vascular disease is? Vascular diseases are disorders that affect the blood vessels. It can lead to severe cardiovascular issues if not treated properly. It affects the circulatory system, which is the system of blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from your heart to all parts of your body. That is why you need specialists in vascular disease in Hudson.
Signs of Vascular Disease
- Fatigue
Swelling of the extremities, mostly in lower legs and feet. Numbness or tingling in arms or legs. Pain (intermittent pain worse with activity) Calf muscle cramps at night without injury to the limb. Muscle is not tender on palpation or any swelling present
- Chest pain or pressure with a cough, sneeze, deep breath
The chest pain goes away if one holds their breath for 15 seconds and comes back when a person breathes out slowly.
- Aneurysm (a bulge in an artery wall that is leaking blood)
Blood clots form in the arteries of the legs that can travel through your bloodstream and block blood flow to vital organs such as the brain or heart.
- A stroke
It is caused by a disruption in the brain’s blood supply. Low red blood cells (anemia) High platelet count, causing clots in vessels with no apparent cause.
What is the Leading Cause of Vascular Disease?
High blood pressure can be caused by various factors, including genetics, lifestyle choices (smoking), and medical conditions. Lifestyle changes are essential to help treat this condition, such as exercising more often, avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol intake, especially if you have high blood pressure or know someone who does. A healthy diet is also an option for those who want to start managing their condition.
Types of Vascular Disease
There are three types of vascular disease:
- Arterial
Arterial is when the blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to all parts of the body become narrow or blocked because a person has high cholesterol, hypertension (high blood pressure), smoking habits, diabetes, family history, or obesity.
- Venous
Venous is when the veins that carry oxygen-poor blood from all parts of the body to the heart get blocked or become too narrow because a person has deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which causes a blood clot in one of your large veins.
- Capillary
Capillaries are abnormal connections between arteries and other vessels or veins within your organs. It can be caused by venous thrombosis, which causes a blood clot in the vein that carries oxygen-poor blood from all parts of the body back to the heart.
Treatment For Vascular Disease
Treatment for vascular disease can include lifestyle changes or medication. Some of the most common medications prescribed are blood pressure-lowering drugs, cholesterol-lowering statins, and anticoagulants, which help prevent a person from developing more severe conditions such as heart attack, stroke, and thrombosis (DVT), aneurysm, or heart failure.
Lifestyle changes include eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and quitting smoking.
Suppose you think you have vascular disease. In that case, it is essential to see your doctor to run some tests on blood pressure or cholesterol levels and physical exams that may be necessary based on each individual’s medical history.