Vascular Conditions

Types of Vascular Conditions

The Vascular system is your heart, artery, and veins working together. As the heart beats, it pumps blood through a system of blood vessels called the circulatory system. The vessels are elastic tubes that carry blood to every part of the body

  • Arteries carry blood away from the heart.
  • Veins return the blood to the heart.

Lymph vessels and lymph nodes are part of a cleaning system that removes damaged cells from your body. They also help protect your body from infections and cancer. The vessels pick up fluid from tissues throughout your body. That fluid eventually drains back into veins under your collarbones.

Vascular Disease includes any condition that affects your circulatory system, such as peripheral artery disease. This ranges from diseases of your arteries, veins, and lymph vessels to blood disorders that affect circulation. The disease can lead to your tissues not getting enough blood, a condition called ischemia, and other serious, even life-threatening, problems.

What is Vascular Disease?

What is Vascular Disease? We explore the answer to that question in this article. Coastal Vascular Center specializes in treating Vascular Disease. Vascular Disease can be any abnormal condition of the blood vessels. The body uses blood vessels to circulate blood through itself. Problems along this vast network can cause severe disability and death.

Vascular Disease can include stroke, peripheral artery disease (PAD), abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), carotid artery disease (CAD), arteriovenous malformation (AVM), critical limb ischemia (CLI), pulmonary embolism (blood clots), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), and varicose veins.

The following conditions treated by Coastal Vascular Center fall under Vascular Disease.

Vascular Conditions

A vascular condition is anything that affects the circulation in your veins. These are the vessels that return oxygen-depleted blood to the heart. The major vascular conditions we treat are Peripheral Arterial Disease, Varicose Veins, Spider Veins, Venous Ulcers, and Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).

Peripheral Arterial Disease

Peripheral arterial disease, also know as PAD, encompasses arterial disease occurring in areas of the body other than the heart or brain. It is a result of plaque buildup. Arteries become narrowed or blocked, which causes decreased blood flow. 

Deep Vein Thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) usually occurs in your thighs or calf muscles when a blood clot is situated within a deep vein in the muscle. The restricted blood flow often causes pain and swelling

 

Leg Swelling

An abnormal buildup of fluid in tissues called edema is what causes swelling in the legs. In some cases, edema that results in painful swollen legs and ankles can be caused by lymphatic dysfunction.

Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are surface veins that have become enlarged, swollen, twisted, and/or bulging due to vein disease. They can be red, blue, or flesh-toned in color and most often appear on the thighs, back of the calves, and inside of the leg.

Spider Veins

They may not be bulging or painful, but spider veins are still unsightly and unwelcome. Medically referred to as telangiectasia, spider veins are more of a cosmetic than a painful nuisance.

Leg Ulcers

If Peripheral Arterial Disease or Vein Reflux Disease progresses it can result in Leg Ulcers. This represents advanced stage disease requiring management with prompt consultation and procedures to allow the wounds to heal and reduce the chance of further tissue loss.