Vascular Disease
Vascular diseases are abnormal conditions that affect the body's circulatory system (blood vessels). They are common and can be serious. They can affect nearly one out of two people in their lifetime, and can happen if your blood flow changes, becomes blocked or abruptly stops. Some types of vascular disease include hypertension, stroke, aneurysms, and peripheral artery disease (PAD).
Risk Factors
People who are at most risk of vascular disease typically:
- Have family history of heart disease
- Obese
- Older
- History of smoking
- Have high cholesterol
- Chronic conditions such as Type II diabetes.
Symptoms may include
- Pain in buttock
- Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the legs or arms
- Burning or aching pain
- A sore on a leg or a foot that will not heal
- One or both legs or feet feeling cold or changing color
- Loss of hair on the legs
- Impotence
Treatment
Early detection of vascular disease is vital for treatment and long-term outcomes. Interventional radiologists use imaging guidance technology to navigate small instruments, such as catheters and needles, through blood vessels and organs to treat a variety of diseases.
Procedures
- Angioplasty - also known as balloon angioplasty and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, is a minimally invasive endovascular procedure used to widen narrowed or obstructed arteries or veins, typically to treat arterial atherosclerosis.
- Stenting - a stent is a metal or plastic tube inserted into the lumen of an anatomic vessel or duct to keep the passageway open, and stenting is the placement of a stent.
- Thrombolysis - also known as fibrinolytic therapy, is the breakdown of blood clots formed in blood vessels, using medication. It is used in ST elevation myocardial infarction, stroke, and in cases of severe venous thromboembolism.
