Vascular Disease
About our Vascular Center of Excellence
Florida Hospital Cardiovascular Institute vascular surgeons provide state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment for the entire spectrum of arterial and venous conditions. Our physicians are highly experienced in less-invasive endovascular procedures, such as balloon angioplasty, stents and catheter atherectomy. New technologies are constantly being incorporated into treatment regimens to provide our patients with shorter hospital stays and an earlier return to normal activity. In addition, our physicians are conducting FDA-approved clinical trials involving new treatments and devices for aneurysms, carotid disease and refractory hypertension.
During 2008, Florida Hospital Cardiovascular Institute surgeons performed more than 1,000 vascular procedures, including open and endovascular operations for aortic aneurysms, occlusive disease of the extremities, cerebrovascular disease, mesenteric ischemia, renal artery lesions and venous disorders.
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. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately. 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.
What is Peripheral Arterial Disease? Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) is a common, yet serious, vascular disease that affects more than eight million people in the United States. It occurs when extra cholesterol and other fats circulating in the blood collect in the walls of the arteries that supply blood to your limbs. This buildup – called plaque – narrows your arteries, often reducing or blocking the flow of blood. PAD is most commonly seen in the legs, but can also be present in the arteries that carry blood from your heart to your head, arms, kidneys and stomach. Many individuals with PAD suffer from an inability to walk as far or as fast as they could in the past. This can become lifestyle-limiting, and even debilitating. People who have PAD are more likely to have foot problems. Minor foot injuries can cause sores or ulcers that can turn into serious infections. If these sores are not treated right away, they may lead to losing a toe, foot or leg. In fact, PAD is one of the leading causes of foot or leg amputations in the United States. Finding and treating PAD early can help keep your legs healthy, lower your risk for heart attack or stroke, and save your life and limbs.
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
Arrhythmia effects more than four million American adults each year.
- Vascular Disease
The primary cause of vascular disease is hardening of the arteries.
- Valve Disease
About 5 million Americans are diagnosed with heart valve disease each year.
- Heart Attack
About 1.2 million people in the United States have heart attacks each year.
- Heart Failure
Heart failure affects more than five million Americans.
- Women's Heart Health
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women over 65. American women
