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Vascular Disease

Vascular disease leaves arteries or veins blocked or weakened. As a result, blood flow decreases or stops. This is a serious condition that can cause damage to other parts of the body, due to lack of blood flow.

The most common cause of vascular disease is atherosclerosis, which is a build-up of plaque in the lining of the artery. Plaque is made up of fatty, waxy substances including cholesterol, calcium and cellular waste products. The plaque accumulates over time, and causes arteries to narrow, thicken and harden.

Other types of vascular disease include an embolus, which is a small mass that is moving through the blood. A thrombus -- a blood clot –- also harms the vascular system. Vasculitis is an inflammation of the blood vessels, which causes constriction. Trauma can also lead to vascular disease, by damaging blood vessels.

Vascular disease impacts the organs and tissues that are served by blood vessels. The consequences can be serious.

For example, vascular disease of the coronary arteries can lead to angina (chest paint) and/or a heart attack. Vascular disease in the arteries traveling through the brain -– cerebrovascular disease -- can lead to a stroke. Abdominal vascular disease can lead to an abdominal aortic aneurysm, a weakened and ballooning artery that may burst and cause death.

Other vascular diseases include:

• Peripheral arterial disease, which can hamper walking and may lead to other limb conditions due to lack of oxygen.
• Thoracic vascular disease, which can cause a thoracic aortic aneurysm.
• Peripheral venous disease, which can lead to deep vein thrombosis (a major blood clot in the leg) or varicose veins.
• Lymphatic vascular diseases, such as lymphedema, (swelling that occurs if lymph nodes aren’t drained properly).
• Vascular diseases of the lungs, including Wegener's granulomatosis (a rare disease that leaves blood vessels inflamed), angiitis (inflammation of blood vessels) and hypertensive pulmonary vascular disease, a form of high blood pressure.
• Kidney vascular diseases, including renal artery stenosis (blockage of a renal artery) and fibromuscular dysplasia (a condition affecting mostly young women.)
• Genitourinary vascular diseases, which causes erectile dysfunction.