Peripheral vascular disease is a term for a collection of disorders affecting your blood vessels, including coronary artery disease and chronic venous insufficiency. If you have symptoms of a peripheral vascular disease, the board-certified surgeons of University Vascular can help. At their locations in Watkinsville, Georgia, they offer a range of innovative treatments for peripheral vascular disease, including VenaCure® endovenous radiofrequency ablation, VenaSeal™ vein closure treatments, and minimally invasive angioplasty and stenting. For more information, call the office nearest you or book an appointment online today.
Peripheral vascular disease is a term for disorders affecting your blood vessels. Conditions that come under the peripheral vascular disease umbrella include:
Some of these conditions affect the arteries, which carry fresh, oxygen-rich blood all around your body. Others affect your veins, the blood vessels that take blood back to your heart once it delivers oxygen.
The most common cause of arterial vascular disease is atherosclerosis, in which cholesterol and waste products from your blood form a sticky coating called plaque that narrows the arteries. Venous diseases are often due to problems like poor circulation because of faulty valves in the veins.
Peripheral vascular disease symptoms vary depending on the type of blood vessel affected, the cause of the disease, and how severe it is.
Conditions affecting your veins often cause problems like leg pain, leg swelling, varicose veins, and non-healing wounds in your lower legs.
Peripheral artery disease also causes leg pain. However, in many cases, arterial vascular diseases don't cause symptoms until the artery suffers a severe or total blockage. If that happens, you could suffer a stroke or heart attack.
Aneurysms are swollen sections of an artery where a balloon of blood builds up due to weakened artery walls. They may cause back or abdominal pain, but often don't give any sign there's a problem until they rupture, which is a potentially life-threatening medical emergency.
There are many advanced diagnostic tools available to help diagnose peripheral vascular disease, including:
The type of test you need depends on the suspected cause of your peripheral vascular disease.
The wide variation in types of peripheral vascular disease means there are also numerous potential treatments. University Vascular prepares a personalized treatment plan for you based on your diagnosis and factors like your age, general health, and personal preferences.
Some of the many possible treatments for peripheral vascular disease include:
To determine the cause of your symptoms or arrange a screening for peripheral vascular disease, call University Vascular or book an appointment online today.