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Peripheral Vascular Disease
Peripheral Vascular Disease includes conditions that affect your circulatory system. Your circulatory system is like a highway made up of arteries, veins, capillaries, lymph vessels.
It is responsible for carrying all of the vital materials to your organs & cells.
Types of Peripheral Vascular Disease
Peripheral Vascular Disease affect blood vessels outside of your heart and brain. It can involve arteries, veins, and and lymph vessels.
The following are conditions that classified as Peripheral Vascular Disease:
Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D.)
Peripheral Artery Disease, also known as simply P.A.D., is the most common of the Peripheral Vascular Diseases. It involves the narrowing or blocking of the arteries outside your heart.
This narrowing or blockage is caused by either the build-up of plaque on the inside walls of the arteries, or a blood clot in the artery. It can also be caused by inflammation, infection, or damage to an artery.
Because of the narrowing or blockage, less blood flows through the affected vessel. This can cause inadequate blood flow to surrounding tissue.
Risk Factors for P.A.D.
- Inactive lifestyle
- Those with jobs that require sitting for long periods of time
- Smokers
- Diabetes
- Over 50 years of age
- High Blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Family History
- Obesity
Learn more about these risk factors with a This Free Kit
Aneurysm
An aneurysm is an abnormal bulge in the wall of a blood vessel. It can form can form in any blood vessel in your body, but most commonly occurs
in the aorta (aortic aneurysm) which is the main blood vessel leaving the heart. The bulging or ballooning out of the vessel occurs because the vessels wall has thinned
in that spot. An aneurysm puts you at risk for complications such as a blood clot forming at that area, pressure on surrounding organs (if it grows large enough), and
sudden rupture, which can be life-threatening.
Renal (Kidney) Artery Disease
Renal artery disease is most commonly caused by atherosclerosis of the renal arteries.
The arteries leading to the kidneys become obstructed which reduced blood flow to the kidneys.
When blood flow to the kidneys is reduced, it often results in hypertension (high blood pressure).
This happens because the kidney releases a substance (a hormone called renin) that enters the blood
stream and narrows all of the smaller vessels in the body. If the obstructions are not treated,
the kidney will have difficulty clearing the body's waste products and kidney failure may occur.
Raynaud's Disease
Raynaud's Disease (Also Called Raynaud's Phenomenon or Raynaud's Syndrome) involves spasms of the small arteries of the fingers, toes and sometimes the tip of your nose and your ears.
These spasms are brought on by exposure to cold, nervousness, or excitement. From the temporary lack of blood supply to the area, the skin appears white
or bluish and feels cold or numb. In some cases, the symptoms of Raynaud's may be related to underlying diseases (ie, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma).
If an artery to an affected area becomes blocked completely, ulcers and gangrene can develop.
Treatment of Raynaud's disease depends on its severity and the presence or absence of associated conditions.
Raynaud's Disease occurs more often in women.
Buerger's Disease
Buerger's Disease is a rare disease of the arteries and veins in the arms and legs.
The arteries of the arms and legs become narrowed or blocked, causing a decreased blood supply to the fingers, hands, toes and feet.
Pain occurs in the arms, hands, legs and feet, even when at rest. Almost everyone diagnosed with Buerger's disease smokes cigarettes
or uses other forms of tobacco.
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