Vascular Disease

At the Riverside Heart & Vascular Institute, our specialists diagnose and care for the full spectrum of blood vessel diseases that can interfere with healthy circulation. And there’s a lot of ground to cover: The typical adult body has about 100,000 miles of blood vessels, which include arteries, veins and capillaries. Blockages and other damage to these vessels reduce blood flow throughout the body, which can cause unpleasant symptoms, limit your independence and increase your risk for strokes and other serious health issues.

To request an appointment close to home, call (844) 404-4787 or fill out our quick form. Or, find a Riverside vascular specialist anytime online

Carotid Artery Disease

You probably know that plaque build-up in the coronary arteries can cut off blood flow and cause heart attacks. In much the same way, accumulation of plaque in the two major blood vessels to the brain — the carotid arteries — can have serious consequences. Known as carotid artery disease, these blockages reduce the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain and cause the most common form of stroke, called an ischemic stroke.
Carotid artery disease usually doesn’t cause symptoms in early stages. The condition is typically diagnosed after a doctor uses a stethoscope to examine a carotid artery during a routine physical exam and notices an unusual sound suggesting that it may have narrowed. If carotid artery disease is advanced, it can trigger a stroke or a “mini-stroke” known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA).
If you or a loved one suddenly develops any of the following symptoms and they have no other obvious explanation, call 911 immediately — do not attempt to drive to the hospital:

• Numbness or weakness in the face or limbs, which may affect only one side of the body
• Severe headache
• Difficulty speaking
• Inability to understand others
• Visual disturbances in one or both eyes
• Dizziness or poor balance

Learn how to reduce your risk of a devastating “brain attack” and the rehabilitation program for people who have suffered strokes at Riverside’s Neurosciences Institute.

Peripheral Artery Disease

When plaque builds up inside other arteries that deliver blood throughout the body, it is called Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). PAD doesn’t cause symptoms in some people, but in others, it produces pain, difficulty walking and skin ulcers. If left untreated, PAD may cut off circulation to the legs entirely, which causes tissue to die can lead to loss of a limb.

If you develop any of these symptoms, PAD could be the culprit:

• Pain or cramping in your lower extremities when you walk or climb stairs
• Weakness or numbness in your legs
• Skin sores on your feet or legs that won’t heal
• Changes in skin color or loss of hair on your legs or feet
• Cold feeling in the legs or feet

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a defect in a major blood vessel and requires prompt repair. The aorta is the body’s main blood vessel, extending vertically from the heart into the abdomen, and feeding all other blood vessels in the body. Some people develop weak spots known as aneurysms in the segment of the aorta that passes through the abdomen. AAAs can bulge and tear, causing severe internal bleeding. This defect takes the lives of about 10,000 Americans each year.

An AAA usually doesn’t cause symptoms unless it ruptures, which is a medical emergency. Some symptoms, such as chest and jaw pain, are like those of a heart attack. If you develop these or any of the following symptoms, call 911 right away.

• Pulsating sensation around the navel
• Sudden, severe pain in the abdomen or back
• Fainting
• Difficulty breathing
• Sudden weakness on one side
• Unexplained heavy perspiration, especially if accompanied by nausea and vomiting
• Shock

How We Diagnose Vascular Diseases

At Riverside Heart & Vascular Institute, our specialists use sophisticated imaging technology to determine the location and severity of blockages in the blood vessels, allowing us to identify the treatment plan that’s right for you.

• Carotid angiogram: If a physical exam suggests you may have carotid artery disease, your doctor will likely recommend a carotid angiogram to confirm the diagnosis. In this test, contrast dye is injected into the blood vessels to help illuminate them on a special form of x-ray that shows how well blood is flowing.
• Peripheral angiogram: Like a carotid angiogram, this test uses contrast dye injected into the blood vessels and x-ray imaging to detect blockages in the arteries and veins in the legs and other parts of the body outside the heart.
• Abdominal angiogram: This form of angiogram is used to identify AAAs.

Treating Vascular Disease

If you have any form of vascular disease, lifestyle changes such as losing weight and quitting smoking may improve symptoms and lower your risk for serious threats such as strokes. But circulation problems often require medical therapy, and our team of vascular surgeons has the expertise, experience and advanced technology to treat all major diseases of the arteries and veins.