The medical term for blood clots in the veins is venous thromboembolism(thrahm-bö-EM-bö-lizm), or VTE. This describes two related conditions that are serious but highly preventable...

Thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO), also known as Buerger’s disease, is a rare disease that occurs when smaller arteries and veins in the arms and/or legs become inflamed. This frequently leads...

The carotid arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to the brain. Carotid arteries are important because they supply blood to the part of the brain that controls...

Vein problems are among the most widespread chronic health conditions in the U.S. By age 50, nearly 40% of women and 20% of men have serious leg vein problems. At least 20 to 25 million...

When the body retains fluid in a specific area, such as the legs, arms, or abdomen, the subsequent swelling is referred to as edema. If you have edema, compression therapy may...

Congenital vascular malformations (CVMs) are growths or birthmarks made up of blood vessels that have not developed correctly. They occur in 1% of all births. Because they are rare, diagnosing...

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) happens when a blood clot forms in a large vein. These clots usually develop in the legs or pelvic area. Some DVTs don’t hurt, but others can be quite painful. With...

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) happens when a blood clot forms in a large vein. They usually develop in the legs or pelvic area. Sometimes these clots can break loose and get stuck in...

Compression apparel is used to prevent or control edema(leg swelling). These items of clothing may be stockingssleeves, pantyhose or leotards, depending on thelocation and...

Ischemia(i-ski-me-ah) is a severe condition in which there is not enough blood flow and oxygen to a part of the body. It may cause tissue damage and loss of limbs. Ischemia can occur anywhere...

Ischemia (is-KE’me-ah) is a serious condition in which there is inadequate blood flow and oxygen to a specific part of the body. It can occur anywhere blood flows in-cluding the limbs...

Lymphedema is a common cause of leg or arm swelling due to fluid collecting in those areas. The swelling is usually not painful, but it may cause a heavy, aching discomfort. It can limit...

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a condition that affects millions of people. PAD occurs when there is a buildup of plaque, or fatty deposits, inside your arteries that carry blood to your legs...

The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a simple and reliable means for diagnosing peripheral artery disease or PAD. Blood pressure measurements are taken at the arms and ankles using a pencil...

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common disease that occurs when the arteries in the legs become narrowed or clogged with fatty deposits, or plaque. When leg arteries are clogged, blood...

Blood pressure is a measure of the force of blood flow within the walls of your arteries (blood vessels that transport blood away from the heart). It is measured in millimeters of mercury, or...

Cholesterol is a waxy, fatlike substance found in the walls of cells in all parts of the body. Your body needs cholesterol to perform important jobs, such as making hormones and...

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common disease that occurs when the arteries in the legs become narrowed or clogged with fatty deposits, or plaque. When leg arteries are clogged, there is less...

People who have peripheral artery disease (PAD) are more likely to have foot problems. This is because plaque narrows and blocks the arteries, which causes blood flow to slow. As a result, the...

“It” is known by many names—peripheral artery disease (PAD), peripheral vascular disease (PVD), leg atheroscle-rosis, claudication, or just poor circulation. Arteries can slowly become...

Smoking is a major cause of heart disease, cancer, and lung disease and the leading cause of peripheral artery disease (PAD). Studies show that smoking half a pack of cigarettes every day may...

When you walk, your leg muscles require more oxygenfrom the blood than when sitting or standing. The arteries of someone with PAD, narrowed by plaque build-up from cholesterol and...

Portal hypertension is high blood pressure in the portal vein. The portal vein is a major vein located in your abdomen that takes nutrient-rich blood from the intestines and carries it to the liver...

Peripheral artery disease is a common circulatory problem that occurs when your legs’ arteries (blood vessels that transport blood away from the heart) become narrowed or clogged with fatty...

Pulmonary means “lungs,” and embolism means “blockage or obstruction.” A pulmonary embolism(PE) happens when a blood clot gets trapped in an artery in the lung. The clot usually travels...

Raynaud’s (ray-NOSE) disease, also known as Raynaud’s phenomenon, affects the arteries that carry blood from the heart to different parts of the body. It can cause some areas of...

Astroke,or “brain attack,” occurs when blood flow to the brain is stopped by either a clot or a vessel bursting. When this happens, the brain doesn’t get oxygen. A stroke can affect different parts...

Veins are soft, thin-walled tubes that return blood from the arms and legs to the heart. Veins work against the force of gravity to push blood forward and have valves that prevent backflow...

Venous thromboembolism (thrahm-bö-EM-bö-lizm), or VTE, describes two related conditions: deep vein throm-bosis (DVT) and a more serious complication called pul-monary embolism...

When you walk, your leg muscles need more oxygen from blood than when sitting or standing. But if you have PAD, the arteries have a hard time delivering this extra oxygen. That’s because...

Vascular Disease is the term that describes blood vessel diseases. Blood vessels are the series of tubes that are used to pump blood throughout the body. There are three types of...