Vascular Disease

Without treatment, vascular disease increases the risk of potentially severe health problems, including heart attack and stroke. Healthy lifestyle changes and prescription medicines can prevent vascular disease from getting worse and improve your quality of life. At AssociatesMD, with offices in Plantation, Pembroke Pines, Fort Lauderdale, Davie, Weston, Margate, and Dania Beach, Florida, the team specializes in diagnosing and treating various vascular diseases. Call the nearest AssociatesMD office today to schedule vascular disease treatment, or book your appointment online.

What is vascular disease?

Vascular disease refers to various medical conditions that affect the vascular system, including the arteries, veins, and capillaries. If any of these vessels experiences a problem, blood can’t flow from your heart to the rest of your body, increasing the risk of complications.

Vascular disease can be managed when caught early. Forgoing treatment increases the risk of cardiovascular problems.

Are there different types of vascular disease?

The AssociatesMD team treats several types of vascular disease, including:

Peripheral artery disease (PAD)

PAD affects the arteries that carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to the rest of the body. It develops when plaque (fat, cholesterol, and blood waste products) builds up in the arteries, causing them to narrow. The narrower the arteries, the harder it is for blood to circulate.

Carotid artery issues

Carotid artery issues affect the carotid arteries, which supply blood to your brain. With time, fat and cholesterol can build up inside them, restricting blood flow and increasing your risk of a stroke.

Venous disease

Venous disease affects your veins, which carry oxygen-depleted blood back to your heart. It occurs when the tiny valves in the veins are damaged, letting blood flow backward and pool. Common examples of venous disease include varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency (CVI).

Blood clots

Blood clots cause your blood to become a solid, jelly-like mass. If a clot forms inside a blood vessel, it can break off, travel through your bloodstream, and cause an embolism, heart attack, or stroke.

How is vascular disease diagnosed?

Your AssociatesMD provider reviews your medical records, asks about your symptoms, and completes a physical exam. They order several tests, including bloodwork and a vascular ultrasound.

Bloodwork looks for underlying problems like high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia) and blood clotting problems that increase the risk of vascular disease. A vascular ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to assess blood circulation.

How is vascular disease treated?

How vascular disease is treated depends on how severe your symptoms are and your general health. Often, the AssociatesMD team recommends healthy lifestyle changes like getting regular exercise, eating a nutritious diet, and quitting tobacco and alcohol.

If these steps don’t significantly improve your condition, you might benefit from prescription medication. Various drugs, including statins, clot-busting medications, calcium channel blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, can manage vascular disease.

Call the nearest AssociatesMD office today to schedule vascular disease treatment, or book an appointment online.