Vascular Medicine is an important and under-represented specialty in medicine. Vascular Medicine specialists are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of vascular disease, a broad range of conditions affecting the blood vessels or circulatory system.

Often thought of as "hardening of the arteries", "poor circulation" or even as varicose veins, vascular disease can be present in any part of the body where there are arteries and veins that transport blood. Vascular disorders occur when blood flow becomes impaired by structural defects, such as weakened or thickened arterial walls (i.e. aneurysms or inflammation), or by obstructions such as blood clots, fatty deposits and atherosclerosis.

Approximately 15 million Americans have vascular disease, and at least half of them have no symptoms. It is important to diagnose these conditions accurately and early in the course of the disease because they can cause progressive discomfort, long-term disability, amputation and death. Vascular disease can lead to heart attack, stroke, ruptured blood vessels, blood clots, kidney failure and results in approximately 100,000 amputations each year. The cost to society of heart disease and stroke amounts to more than 150 billion dollars per year!

The Heart & Vascular Institute, staffed with national and international leaders in the fields of vascular medicine, cardiology, and radiology, is uniquely qualified to evaluate, diagnose, treat, manage and prevent all types of vascular disease including:

Diagnosis often requires several different medical specialists (such as cardiologists and interventional radiologists) and the use of sophisticated imaging devices, all of which are readily available at the Heart & Vascular Institute. These experts collaborate to determine the most appropriate, least invasive treatment strategy, based on the patient's individual needs. Symptoms of vascular disease include:

• leg pain, tightness, tiredness or weakness
• difficulty walking
• cool skin temperatures in arms and legs
• sores on legs, feet or toes that don't heal
• skin color changes in arms and legs
• swollen legs
• persistent abdominal or back pain (abdominal aortic aneurysm)
• bulge in abdominal wall (abdominal aortic aneurysm)
• chest pain and breathing difficulty (pulmonary embolus or heart disease)
• loss of vision, slurred speech (carotid artery blockage)
• sudden severe chest pain (heart attack)

For more information or to schedule an evaluation with a Vascular Medicine specialist at the Heart & Vascular Institute, please call us at 973-656-0555.