THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: All organs in the human body are provided with a network of pure and impure blood vessels to provide oxygen and metabolites for its normal functioning. Any affliction in blood vessels leads to serious defects and become more severe with diminished blood flow.
The incidence of vascular diseases is found to be increasing in India over the past decade. Advanced age, smoking habit, consumption of alcohol, overeating, obesity, physical inactivity coupled with diabetes and hypertension are found to be the reasons which aggravate the disease.Enlargement or excessive dilation and blockade of vessels with excessive fat and cholesterol are two major types of vascular diseases involving pure blood vessels. Dilation eventually results in the arterial blockade and leads to stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and leg cramps. In addition, varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis with serious potential complications involving impure blood vessels - veins - are also on the rise.
CHECK UP
A detailed clinical examination provides valuable clues to the organ involved and the necessary investigations needed. It includes blood tests, Duplex scan and CT/MR scans to delineate the extent of arterial disease and the nature of organ dysfunction. In addition, the cardiac system needs to assess when an open procedure is required.
TREATMENT
Dietary control, moderate physical activities, stop smoking are a few measures to be pursued by patients. Medications to control diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidaemia are vital to modify and control deleterious effects on affected blood vessels.If the patient presents with critical symptoms with life-threatening organ dysfunction, further measures like an Endovascular intervention or open surgical treatment might be necessary. However, endovascular surgery is less stressful for patients; but open surgery is durable and made perennial results for patients who underwent the process.
TYPES
Peripheral arterial disease - These are related to inadequate pure blood circulation to legs and less commonly to arms. This illness has a wide variety of forms such as claudication or cramps in legs, tiredness or inability to go upon a slope, leg pain occurring at rest and ulceration. The bluish or blackish discolouration of extreme blood stoppage demands urgent treatment or else the patient may end up losing a limb. For initial difficulty, medications, stopping smoking and graded walking exercises are sufficient.
Carotid artery disease - This form of brain artery may be afflicted with fat deposition due to Atherosclerosis resulting in stroke namely temporary weakness of upper or lower limbs, inability to speak, visual disturbance which again if not treated may lead to permanent stroke with its devastating sequela. Along with medications, stenting or Carotid Endarterectomy will help prevent stroke if performed timely.
Aortic aneurysm - When aorta starts ballooning and enlarged due to Atherosclerosis. This condition threatens life due to the rupture upon reaching a size of 6 cms or more. Open operation or keyhole surgeries are available to treat the patient.Apart from these, there are several diseases that involve blood circulation to various organs of our body. Symptomatic varicose vein needs to be removed and Venous thromboembolism needs optimal medications for varying time frame to prevent life-threatening pulmonary embolism.
Dr M Unnikrishnan is the Head of the Department of Vascular Surgery, Sree Uthradom Thirunal Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram
(The views expressed by the author are his own)