Circulatory Conditions/Vascular Diseases
Our vascular system is made up of blood vessels, which are part of our circulatory or cardiovascular system that works with the beating heart. With each beat, the heart pumps blood into the vessels and throughout the body, providing nutrients and oxygen to cells. The circulating blood removes waste products, toxins and other harmful substances. Our circulatory system is critical to many body functions, especially our respiratory or lung function, digestion, waste removal and body temperature.
Three types of vessels help move blood from our heart throughout our body and back: the arteries, veins and capillaries.
Arteries are strong and flexible. They carry oxygenated blood away from the heart, expanding as blood is pumped directly into them from the beating heart.
Capillaries are within the body tissues, resembling tiny, tangled webs. As the arteries branch out into the body, they ultimately become smaller and smaller, until they form capillaries. Capillaries are so tiny that blood cells must pass through them in single file. As the heart pumps blood through the arteries, reaching into the capillaries, they transfer the oxygenated blood into the tissue. Ultimately, they carry the oxygen-depleted blood into the veins, where it’s returned to the heart.
Veins are less active and flexible than the arteries, returning blood to the heart to receive oxygen. The veins have valves that open and close to let blood through and prevent it from pooling in the legs and elsewhere due to gravity.
Vascular Disease
Vascular diseases clog or weaken blood vessels. Less often, veins can also be affected. Most vascular disease is caused by atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
With atherosclerosis, a sticky substance called “plaque” builds up in the blood vessels, weakening them over time or clogging them enough that it reduces or blocks the blood supply to parts of the body. The blood flow may also be affected if a blood clot (thrombus) gets caught in the vessel.
Some vascular conditions affect only the arteries, some only the veins, and some can affect either type of vessel. Arteries are more likely to be affected by aneurysms, which are a bulging and weakening of the vessel wall. These most commonly occur in the abdomen and less frequently in the brain.
Arterial Disease
Arterial disease is the result of atherosclerosis, blood clots and other vascular problems with the arteries. Common arterial diseases are:
- Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) or peripheral arterial disease (PAD): arteries that carry blood to the legs (and, less often, the arms) narrow or become clogged.
- Carotid Artery Disease: arteries in the neck that carry blood to the brain become clogged with plaque and may cause a stroke.
- Abdominal Aorta Aneurysm (AAA): an area in the main artery of the heart (the aorta) that weakens and bulges like a balloon. If it becomes too large, it can rupture and cause life-threatening bleeding. Men over age 60 who smoke or have smoked, and people with a family history of AAA are at highest risk for this disease.
- Pulmonary Embolism: This occurs when an artery in the lung is blocked. Usually this is because one or more blood clots have traveled to the lung from other parts of the body.
Venous Disease
Venous disease involves problems in the veins. Common venous diseases are:
- Blood clots or Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT): formation of a clot (or thrombus) in any of the deep veins near the center of the leg. Usually occurs suddenly, without warning and if part of the clot breaks loose, it can result in life-threatening pulmonary embolism.
- Phlebitis: inflammation of vein due to bacterial infection, injury or unknown causes. Thrombophlebitis results from a blood clot forming in arm or leg vein.
- Varicose Veins: occur when valves controlling blood flow in and out of veins fail to work properly and blood pools in legs or elsewhere.
Preventing Vascular Disease
The most effective way to prevent vascular disease is to live a “heart healthy” lifestyle, which includes regular exercise, a balanced diet with low-fat foods and maintaining a healthy weight. It’s also important to control risk factors. These are good steps to take:
- Quit smoking
- Control high blood pressure
- Reduce high cholesterol
- Manage diabetes
