According to Roy Robertson, MD, PPG – Cardiology, vascular disease is known as “the illness of blood vessels in the body”. It’s essentially a hardening of the arteries or vascular blockage, and is extremely common, affecting approximately 150 million people worldwide.
Like high blood pressure, most people do not know they have vascular disease. It’s suggested that about half of the people that have vascular disease have no symptoms. In order to make a diagnosis, your doctor will take your blood pressure from various parts of your body.
Vascular disease can be associated with:
- Stroke
- Aneurysm (aorta)
- Discomfort of the upper or lower legs
- Blockage of the neck arteries
Causes of vascular disease include:
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Second-hand smoke, especially for children
To prevention vascular disease:
- Quit smoking
- Control diabetes
- Consume a healthy diet
- Exercise
- Take proper medication
Learn more about our vascular disease clinic and more here.
