06-22-2022 Primetime Livnig - Flipbook - Page 8
8 A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Wednesday, June 22, 2022
VASCULAR DISEASE
Treating vascular
disease
A variety of options can
improve blood flow and
prevent strokes
By Linda L. Esterson, Contributing Writer
B
lood vessels exist throughout the body to transport blood to vital organs, providing nutrients and oxygen required for normal functioning. Vascular diseases
develop when blockages and other issues arise, preventing the normal trans-
port of blood throughout the body.
Vascular issues often don’t provide
signs of a concern. Patients with blockages, caused by a buildup of plaque and
cholesterol in the veins and arteries, can
be asymptomatic, and are only alerted
to such issues during a major medical
crisis. When blood vessels are blocked,
this increases the risk of a stroke, which
occurs when blood supply to the brain is
interrupted or compromised. According to
the Society for Vascular Surgery, 80% of
strokes are “ischemic,” caused by compromised circulation to the brain, usually
due to buildup of blockages in carotid
arteries, which lead from the neck to
the brain. These blockages can crumble,
sending small pieces into the brain itself
where they lodge in small arteries causing a “brain attack,” which can quickly
resolve on its own, or a more serious
stroke, that results in serious disabilities
that can remain indefinitely.
Vascular disease occurs more often in
the elderly, and with 76 million Americans
over the age of 55, the demand for vascular health services increases, according to the Society for Vascular Surgery.
In addition to age, several risk factors
can cause vascular issues. The main
risk factors are smoking and diabetes,
according to Rajabrata Sarkar, M.D.,
Ph.D., Barbara Baur Dunlap Professor
of Surgery and Physiology, University
of Maryland School of Medicine, and
chief, Division of Vascular Surgery at the
University of Maryland Medical Center.
High blood pressure and high cholesterol also contribute, and family history
of these conditions as well as stroke are
also factors to consider. Patients with
these risk factors are monitored regularly
for high blood pressure, cholesterol and
body mass index (BMI), with screening to
detect blockages following transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), mini strokes, before a
major stroke can occur.
Carotid Artery Disease
Several serious conditions result from
vascular blockages. Carotid artery disease occurs when plaque or fatty deposits clog the blood vessels that lead to
the brain as a result of atherosclerosis or
hardening of the arteries. Severe buildup
can limit the blood supply to the brain,
and small clots can form then break off
and travel to the brain, causing a major or
minor stroke. Resultant brain damage can
severely limit functioning or even result
in death. The National Center for Health
Statistics indicates that strokes are the
third leading cause of death in the United
States.
According to Dr. Sarkar, carotid artery
disease is one of the leading causes
of stroke, most often due to blockages
greater than 50%.
Blockages in the neck are treated
several different ways. The first line of
treatment, which should be taken advantage of by everyone with a family history
of carotid artery disease, is the use of
medications. Low-dose aspirin is recommended to thin the blood, which helps to
prevent clots and buildup from forming.
Although originally developed as a pain
reliever, aspirin is key in preventing stroke
and death, Dr. Sarkar notes.
“There’s been a recent change in the
guidelines recommending aspirin to the
general population,” Dr. Sarkar explains.
“For elderly patients, aspirin increases the
risk of bleeding in the stomach. But if you
have vascular disease, there is no doubt
that you should be on an antiplatelet
agent. If you cannot take aspirin because
it irritates your stomach, there are other
antiplatelet agents that your doctor can
recommend.”
Statin medications are also prescribed
to patients with high cholesterol and
those with a family history of venous disease. Statins not only lower cholesterol,
but they also reduce the risk of plaque
breaking off from artery walls and limiting platelet adhesion to the walls. They
keep the arteries “slippery,” preventing
Vascular disease,
continued on page 26