Copyright © 2009, Society for Vascular Surgery ®. All rights reserved. Your Vascular Health is a...

Copyright © 2009, Society for Vascular Surgery®. All rights reserved.

Your Vascular Health is aMatter of Life and Limb


Your Vascular Health is a Matter of Life and Limb

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Your Vascular System

All your veins and arteries make up your vascular system.

Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to your vital organs and to your legs and feet, and veins drain the blood back to the heart.


Vascular Disease

As we age, our arteries tend to thicken, get stiff, and narrowbecause of a build-up of plaque and cholesterol.

When this occurs in large and medium-sized arteries, it is called atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

When the narrowing happens in arteries leading to theheart, it can cause a heart attack. The same situation in otherareas of the body can cause peripheral vascular disease.


Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)

Your aorta is the largest arteryIn your body.

An AAA occurs when the wallof the aorta progressivelyweakens and begins to bulge.

It may continue to enlarge andeventually rupture if leftuntreated causing severeinternal bleeding and possiblydeath.



Each year, 14,000 Americans die from rupture of an aorticaneurysm according to the United States National Institutesof Health, 2010.



Who is at risk?

• People with a history ofatherosclerosis (hardening ofthe arteries)

• Those with a family historyof AAA

• Those who smoke, have highblood pressure, or chroniclung disease



What are the symptoms?

• A pulsing feeling in the abdomen

• Unexplained, severe pain in your abdomen or lower back

• Pain, discoloration, or sores on your feet (this is a raresymptom)



What can you do?

• See your doctor if you are at risk

• Stop smoking

• Maintain normal blood pressurelevels

• See a vascular surgeon to be tested to see if you have an AAA.

• See a vascular surgeon if your doctor diagnoses an AAA


AAA Medicare Screening Benefit

Medicare offers a free, one-time AAA ultrasoundscreening for qualified seniors as part of theWelcome to Medicare Physical Exam.

Men who have smoked 100 cigarettes sometimeduring their life, and men and women with a familyhistory of AAA are eligible for this benefit.

The Welcome to Medicare physical must beconducted during the first six months of enrollment.


Carotid Artery Disease (Stroke)

Carotid arteries are two main arteriesthat carry blood from your heart, upthrough your neck, to your brain.

Carotid artery disease results whenthe carotid arteries become too narrowor obstructed from plaque and limitthe blood flow to the brain.

Strokes result either from obstructionof blood flow to the brain by theplaque or when bits of plaque andclots break off from the plaque andflow to the brain.


Carotid Artery Disease (Stroke)• Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the

United States according to 2010 National Vital Statistics.

• Each year, 137,000 people die from a stoke.

• A large proportion of strokes are caused by plaque in the carotid arteries.

• In 2010, the American Stroke Association estimated that Americans would pay about US$73.7 billion for stroke-related medical costs and disability.



What are the causes and risk factors?

• Age• High blood pressure• Diabetes• Smoking• High cholesterol• Obesity• Lack of exercise• Irregular heartbeat• Family history of Atherosclerosis

(hardening of the arteries) and/or stroke



Ministrokes (or transient ischemic attacks) are usuallytemporary lasting a few minutes to a few hours, and should betreated as serious medical emergencies requiring immediatetreatment. Some symptoms include:

• Weakness, numbness, or tingling on one side of the body• Inability to control movement of a body part• Loss of vision or blurred vision in one or both eyes• Inability to speak clearly• Difficulty talking or comprehending what others are saying• Dizziness or confusion


Carotid Artery Disease (Stroke)What can you do?

• See your doctor if you are at risk or experience a ministroke

• Maintain normal blood pressure levels

• Stop smoking

• Control cholesterol levels

• Maintain a healthy weight

• Exercise

• See a vascular surgeon if Carotid Artery Disease is diagnosed, or to be tested for this condition


Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)

Typically with age, theperipheral arteries build upplaque that narrows thepassageways causing them tobecome stiff. PAD resultswhen the peripheral arteriesbecome too narrow orobstructed and limit theblood flow to the legs.



• One in every 20 Americans over the age of 50 hasperipheral arterial disease (PAD).

• PAD affects more than eight million people in the U. S.

• Individuals with PAD suffer a five-fold increasedrelative risk of a cardiovascular ischemic event andtotal mortality that is two to three fold greater thanthose without PAD.



What are the risk factors?

• Aging• Diabetes• Smoking• High cholesterol• Obesity• Lack of exercise• Males are more prone to PAD, but women are at

risk as well• Family history of vascular problems• African Americans and Hispanics are at

particular risk of PAD



What are the symptoms?

There may be no symptomsin the early stages of PAD.

Developing symptoms mayinclude discomfort or pain inyour legs when walking withthe pain going away whenyou stop and rest.



What can I do?

• See your doctor if you are at risk• Stop smoking• Manage your diabetes• Maintain healthy cholesterol levels• Eat a healthy diet• Exercise• See a vascular surgeon if PAD is diagnosed, or

to be tested for PAD in its early stages


Vascular Screenings

(Include information about vascular screening

events you will conduct.)


Why should someone see a Vascular Surgeon?

Vascular surgeons are the only physicians who are trained to provideall vascular disease treatment options.

Vascular surgeons treat diseases with: lifestyle changes, medicalmanagement, minimally invasive endovascular angioplasty and stent procedures, and both stent graft procedures and open repair ofaneurysms.

Only a vascular surgeon can offer all treatment modalitiesassuring the care that is most appropriate to a patient’scondition.


Thank you

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