Symptoms, Risk Factors and Causes of Vascular Disease

The symptoms of vascular concerns depend on the type of vascular disease that is present.  

Symptoms of common types of vascular disease include: 

• Peripheral artery disease: Symptoms include pain or cramps in the leg during activity, which improves with rest. Peripheral artery disease can also cause leg sores, ulcers, and a change in skin color. 
• Carotid artery disease: In the early stages, there are often no symptoms of carotid artery disease. The condition may not present symptoms until it becomes serious enough to cause a life-threatening event such as a stroke or transient ischemic attack (also called a TIA or mini stroke). The symptoms of these can include numbness or weakness in the limbs or face, trouble with speech or vision, difficulty with memory, and confusion. 
• Aneurysms: Many people don’t know they have an aneurysm until it ruptures. If this happens, it is a medical emergency. The symptoms of a ruptured aneurysm will depend on where it is located, but may include a rapid heartbeat, a feeling of dizziness, severe pain in the chest, head, abdomen or back, and a loss of consciousness.  
• Venous insufficiency: Symptoms of venous insufficiency include swelling (edema), pain, throbbing, cramps, and weakness of the legs. Venous insufficiency also causes varicose veins, in which the veins in the legs enlarge. Chronic venous insufficiency can cause the skin to become discolored and leg sores and ulcers to appear.  
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): DVT symptoms can include swelling in the leg, pain or cramp in the leg, a change of skin color, and a feeling of warmth on the affected leg. Sometimes, a DVT occurs with no noticeable symptoms.  
• Lymphedema: Symptoms of lymphedema include swelling, usually in the legs, as well as a feeling of tightness or restricted range of motion in the limb.  
• Vasculitis: Causing inflammation of the blood vessels, the symptoms of vasculitis can include swelling, fever, fatigue, and general aches and pains.  

Causes of vascular disease   

Common causes of vascular disease include: 

• A buildup of fatty plaques in the arteries  
• Blood clots  
• Genetics 
• Infection 
• Injury or trauma  
• Medication  

Sometimes, the cause of vascular disease is unknown. 

Risk factors for vascular disease   

The risk factors of vascular disease can contribute to the causes of the condition but will depend on the specific disease.  

The most common risk factors for vascular disease include:  

• Age (risk increases as we get older) 
• Family history of cardiovascular diseases (conditions affecting the blood vessels and the heart, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension) 
• Inactive lifestyle  
• Obesity 
• Personal history of cardiovascular diseases  
• Smoking 
• Stress 

Are you at risk for vascular disease?  

The complications of many vascular conditions can be prevented if they are diagnosed and treated early. If you are experiencing any of the signs of vascular disease, talk to our expert vascular surgeons in Dubai today.