Vascular Disease
The primary cause of vascular disease is hardening of the arteries. The flow of blood becomes restricted as fatty deposits or plaques attach to the lining of the arteries. This restriction or subsequent blockage can lead to vascular disease, including high blood pressure, renal failure, aneurysms or stroke.
The major arteries in your neck are known as the carotid arteries and supply blood to your brain. These arteries run from the aorta in your chest to the base of your brain. When these arteries become blocked with plaque (a combination of cholesterol, calcium and fibrous tissue) to the point where blood cannot flow efficiently, it is known as carotid artery disease. This is a serious health issue and it can lead to stroke if untreated. The plaque in the arterial wall can lead to a stroke when it causes a clot to form in the arterial wall or on its inner surface. The clot may completely block the carotid artery restricting blood flow to the brain causing a stroke. Sometimes portions of the clot or fragments of the plaque break loose and block the smaller arteries in the brain also resulting in a stroke.The symptoms of stroke can include a feeling of weakness and/or a numbness or tingling sensation on one side of your body or in an arm or leg. There is usually no pain. Other symptoms include a loss of vision in one eye and/or an inability to speak clearly. Stroke is a serious health issue being a major cause of disability and the third most common cause of death in adults.
When a sack-like dilation forms in the wall of a damaged or weakened artery, it is called an aneurysm. Aneurysms can form on any arterial wall that has deteriorated over time because of high blood pressure, a hardening or narrowing of the arteries or other contributing factors. Ascending aneurysms involve the aortic valve and the major arteries leading to the head and arms. If the aneurysm ruptures or tears (known as dissection), it can be fatal unless emergency surgery is performed quickly.Symptoms can include: Shortness of breath, dry cough, hoarseness and a pulsating pain in the chest or head. Other symptoms are specific to the location and type of aneurysm.
Most aneurysms of the aorta involve the abdominal aorta and usually begin at or below the level of the renal arteries. A sack-like bulge forms in the weakened area. When blood leaks through the weakened wall a rupture has occurred. It is important to repair aneurysms before they rupture. Survival is more than four times more likely when an aneurysm is repaired prior to rupture of the aneurysm. Aneurysms less than five centimeters in diameter rarely rupture.Aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta are less common than abdominal aortic aneurysms but are equally dangerous. Some descending thoracic aortic aneurysms are due to a weakened aortic wall like the abdominal aortic aneurysm. Others are caused by a tear in the inner layer of the aorta allowing blood to burrow up and down the aortic wall weakening the wall of the aorta. This is called an aortic dissection. If blood leaks through the entire aortic wall into surrounding tissues a rupture has occurred.Most aneurysms are not symptomatic. Most are discovered incidentally on a physician’s examination or an ultrasound or CT scan ordered for other reasons. Medicare now will pay for a one time screening ultrasound of the abdominal aorta in men 65 and older. Non-ruptured aneurysms may cause back or abdominal pain. A dissecting descending thoracic aneurysm classically causes severe tearing pain between the shoulder blades and back pain.
Coronary artery disease develops slowly, usually over a period of decades. Plaque, which is composed of fat, cholesterol, calcium and other substances, builds up on the artery walls over time. Coronary artery disease can be hereditary, or it can develop over time from a poor diet and lack of exercise. Eventually the flow of blood becomes severely restricted, causing shortness of breath and chest pain. When the artery becomes completely blocked, a heart attack can occur.Symptoms can include: chest pain or pressure (angina), which feels as if someone is standing on your chest, shortness of breath or a heart attack. Symptoms of a heart attack typically include a crushing pressure on your chest, pain in your shoulder or arm and in women, nausea and back or jaw pain. However, a heart attack may occur without any symptoms at all in cases of coronary artery disease, especially when it is associated with diabetes.
The arteries supplying blood to your kidneys are called the renal arteries. Renal vascular disease occurs when the renal arteries become narrow or obstructed. When blood flow to the kidney is restricted the kidney may release increased amounts of a powerful hormone called renin. This may cause a particularly severe form of hypertension which can cause heart failure or stroke. Renal vascular disease may also cause kidney failure resulting in the need for hemodialysis.There are often no symptoms of renal vascular disease until late. Symptoms may include headache or blood in the urine. The abrupt onset of hypertension or hypertension that is difficult to control and requires multiple drugs suggests renal vascular disease. The loss of kidney function or sudden onset of heart failure may also be the result of renal vascular disease.
Peripheral vascular disease or PVD occurs when the arteries providing blood flow to the legs become narrowed or blocked by plaque buildup. In the early stages walking becomes painful. In later stages, pain and numbness may be present in the feet or toes at rest. At its most severe, PVD may result in tissue breakdown causing ulcers or tissue death. People with PVD symptoms often have plaque buildup elsewhere and have increased risk of heart attack and stroke.The most common symptom of PVD is intermittent claudication which is a severe ache or weakness of the leg muscles brought on by walking a distance that remains fairly constant for the individual with PVD. This ache is promptly relieved by a brief rest period after which he or she can walk about the same distance before the pain returns. Sometimes the affected leg will feel cooler or have slower growth of nails or decreased hair. Color change on the foot may occur. In late stages there may be pain at rest within the foot or pain at night which interferes with sleep. Slow healing wounds or development of sores on the leg or foot is also a symptom of advanced PVD.
Often called the “silent killer” because it can go undetected for years, high blood pressure afflicts 1 in 3 adults in the United States. Blood pressure is the force exerted by your blood on the artery walls. If it is consistently too high, it can lead to coronary heart disease, aneurysms, stroke, heart failure, kidney failure and other health problems.Symptoms can include: Though there often are no discernable symptoms, but some people with high blood pressure experience headaches, dizziness, blurred vision and nausea. The only true way to diagnose high blood pressure is through a blood pressure test.
Heart Diseases
- Heart Arrhythmia
Affecting more than 2.2 million Americans.
- Vascular Disease
The primary cause of vascular disease is hardening of the arteries.
- Valve Disease
Your heart contains four valves that work in coordination.
- Heart Attack
A heart attack occurs when the blood flow to the heart becomes blocked.
- Heart Failure
Heart failure affects more than five million Americans.
- Women's Cardiovascular Disease
One out of three women in the U.S. die from cardiovascular disease.
