Your vascular system is made up of blood vessels – arteries and veins – that transport blood to and from the heart and the rest of the body. Consequently, vascular disorders Oxnard are conditions that affect the vascular system, disrupting the flow of blood to and from your organs. Usually, these diseases have serious repercussions on your health if left untreated. They can cause serious complications like strokes, blood clots, and heart attacks. This makes understanding them and their symptoms very crucial to your health. To help you, here is a look at five vascular disorders you should get checked out immediately.
Brain Aneurysm and Abdominal Aortic Aneurism
You have an aneurysm when a balloon-shaped bulge forms in your artery wall. If the bulge collects blood, the arterial wall can weaken and become thinner, causing the aneurysm to rupture. A ruptured aneurysm is a life-threatening medical emergency that can lead to a coma, stroke, or death. Similarly, an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an arterial bulge only when it appears in the abdomen. It is harmless and unruptured, but a rupture can result in severe internal bleeding, which could be fatal.
Carotid Stenosis
As the name suggests, carotid stenosis is the narrowing of the carotid artery. This narrowing is usually caused by a buildup of fatty plaque within the artery, otherwise called atherosclerosis. It can escalate into a blockage, stopping blood flow to your brain and causing a stroke or transient ischemic attack. In most cases, you may not know you have carotid stenosis until your experience a mini-stroke or stroke. This is because the condition does not present many obvious symptoms.
Peripheral Artery Disease
PAD, or peripheral artery disease, manifests in similar ways to carotid stenosis. It is characterized by the progressive narrowing of an affected artery due to the buildup of plaque in the lining. Typically, it affects arteries outside the brain and heart and can cause reduced blood flow to the neck, kidneys, stomach, and legs. Previously, medical experts believed that PAD mostly affected men, but recent studies show that women in menopause experience the same risk level as their male counterparts.
Pulmonary Embolism
A pulmonary embolism or PE happens when a full blood clot or a fragment breaks away and travels to the blood vessels in your lungs. This clot is usually the result of another vascular disorder called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). When the clot breaks away and moves to your lungs, you may experience sudden shortness of breath, chest pain when you breathe, blood in your sputum, coughing, and an irregular heartbeat. Like an aneurysm, PE is a life-threatening medical emergency.
Vascular Malformation
Your veins and arteries are connected through smaller vessels called capillaries. When this connection is abnormal, you are said to have vascular malformation. This is usually characterized by a malformation of tangled vessels beyond the capillary bed that disrupt regular blood flow. If it bleeds out, you may experience brain damage or seizures.
As you can see, vascular disorders are always serious and often life-threatening. It is even more worrying that most of them do not present enough symptoms for you to notice before they cause serious complications like strokes and seizures. Fortunately, you can stay on top of your vascular health by regularly consulting your neurologist. Plan regular checkups and make an appointment when you experience worrying symptoms.
