What is the cardiovascular system?
The heart is the main system that pumps the blood needed by the body, the blood pumped from the heart in the veins reaches the tissues and feeds them, and the blood that has decreased in oxygen level is brought back to the heart and from there to the lungs, providing oxygenation.
While the heart performs this function, it provides the oxygenated blood it needs for itself through the vessels we call the coronary arteries. It has valves inside itself that allow the heart to work unidirectionally like a pump. Diseases that may occur in the heart vessels or these valves may prevent the heart from performing its duties, leading to the symptoms of infarction, which we call heart attack, or heart failure defined by insufficient pumping function.
Coronary Artery Disease: The heart has three main coronary vessels, and stenosis that may occur in these vessels can lead to a heart attack. The patient may initially present with symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and a feeling of pressure in the chest while walking. In such cases, suspecting coronary artery disease and seeing a cardiologist provide the chance for the patient to be treated without having a heart attack and may ensure that the patient’s quality of life is high in the procedure to be performed. Although a detailed physical examination gives many findings in the diagnosis of the patient, a diagnosis of possible coronary artery disease is made with ECG, echocardiography, exercise ECG, heart scintigraphy, computed tomography and angiography, and direct angiography is used to confirm the diagnosis and approach with a stent and balloon as a treatment option. is provided. In very advanced cases, the option of treatment with coronary bypass surgery is recommended to the patient. Coronary Bypass Surgery is recommended with a risk of approximately 1% for a patient who does not have any additional problems with the advancing technology. Coronary bypass surgery technically has two main approaches: in the working heart or by stopping the heart with the help of a heart-lung machine. In addition, the classical method, which we call the opening of the sternum, and the minimal method, which is made with a small incision without opening the sternum, is recommended to the patient according to the patient’s condition.
Heart Valve Diseases: There are mitral valve on the left, tricuspid valve on the right, and aorta and pulmonary valve at the calden exits. Insufficiency may develop due to the narrowing of these valves or their inability to fulfill their functions. For valves that require surgical intervention, priority repair method is applied, if not, replacement with prosthetic valve is applied.
The vascular system, also called the circulatory system, consists of vessels that carry blood and lymph throughout the body. Arteries and veins transport blood throughout the body, supplying body tissues with oxygen and nutrients, and removing tissue waste materials. Lymph vessels carry lymphatic fluid (a clear, colorless liquid containing water and blood cells). The lymphatic system helps maintain and maintain the body’s fluid environment by filtering and draining lymph from all parts of the body.
The vessels of the blood circulatory system are:
Arteries: These are the vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body.
Veins: Blood vessels that carry blood from the body back to the heart.
Capillaries: Small blood vessels between arteries and veins that distribute oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.
Blood moves through the circulatory system as a result of being pumped out by the heart. The blood leaving the heart through the arteries is saturated with oxygen. Arteries branch into smaller branches to bring oxygen and other nutrients to the cells of the body’s tissues and organs. As the blood passes through the capillaries, oxygen and other nutrients are carried to the cells, and the waste materials in the cells are carried to the capillaries. As the blood exits the capillaries, it travels through the larger veins to carry the blood back to the heart.
In addition to the circulation of blood and lymph throughout the body, the vascular system functions as an important component of other body systems. Examples include:
The respiratory system. As blood flows through the capillaries in the lungs, carbon dioxide is given out and oxygen is taken in. Carbon dioxide is excreted from the body through the lungs and oxygen is taken up to the body tissues through the blood.
Digestive system. As food is digested, blood flows through the intestinal capillaries and receives nutrients such as glucose (sugar), vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients are delivered to body tissues through the blood.
Kidneys and urinary system. Waste materials from body tissues are filtered out of the blood as they flow through the kidneys. The waste material then leaves the body in the form of urine.
Temperature control. The blood flow between different parts of the body helps regulate the body’s temperature. Heat is produced by the body’s tissues as they go through the processes of breaking down nutrients for energy, making new tissue, and releasing waste material.
What is vascular disease?
Vascular disease is a condition that affects arteries and veins. Often, vascular disease affects blood flow by clogging or weakening blood vessels or by damaging valves in the vessels. As a result of reduced or completely blocked blood flow, organs and other body structures can be damaged by vascular disease.
What causes vascular disease?
The causes of Vascular Disease are:
Atherosclerosis: (plaque formation with deposition of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium, and fibrin in the inner lining of an artery) is the most common cause of vascular disease. It is not known exactly how atherosclerosis begins or what causes it. Atherosclerosis is a slow, progressive, vascular disease that can begin as early as childhood. However, the disease has the potential to progress rapidly. It is usually characterized by the accumulation of fatty deposits along the innermost layer of the arteries. If the disease process progresses, plaque may form. This thickening narrows the arteries and can reduce blood flow or completely block blood flow to organs and other body tissues and structures.
Blood clots: A blood vessel can be blocked by an embolus (a small mass of debris that moves through the bloodstream) or a thrombus (a blood clot).
Inflammation: In general, inflammation of the blood vessels is referred to as vasculitis, which includes a number of disorders. Inflammation can cause blood vessels to narrow and become blocked.
Trauma or injury: Trauma or injury involving blood vessels can lead to inflammation or infection that can damage blood vessels and cause narrowing and blockage.
Genetics: Hereditary factors play a role in the underlying pathologies of the vascular system.
What are the effects of vascular diseases?
Since the functions of blood vessels include supplying all organs and tissues of the body with oxygen and nutrients, removal of waste products, fluid balance, and other functions, conditions that affect the vascular system can affect the supplied parts of the body. by a particular network of vessels, such as the coronary arteries of the heart.
Examples of the effects of Vascular Disease:
Coronary artery disease: Heart attack, angina (chest pain)
Cerebrovascular disease: Stroke, transient ischemic attack (sudden or temporary loss of blood flow to an area of the brain, usually lasting less than 5 minutes but not longer than 24 hours, with complete recovery)
Peripheral arterial disease: claudication (limping due to pain in the thigh, calf, and/or hip when walking), critical limb ischemia (lack of oxygen in the limb/leg at rest)
Vascular disease of the great vessels: aortic aneurysm (a bulging, weak area in the wall of a blood vessel that causes abnormal enlargement or ballooning), coarctation of the aorta (narrowing of the aorta, largest artery in the body), Takayasu arteritis (a rare inflammatory disease of the aorta and its branches)
Thoracic vascular disease: Thoracic aortic aneurysm (a bulging, weakened area in a blood vessel wall that causes abnormal enlargement or ballooning of the aorta in the chest or chest part)
Abdominal aortic disease: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (a bulging, weakened area in a blood vessel wall that causes abnormal enlargement or ballooning of the abdominal part of the aorta)
Peripheral venous disease: Deep vein thrombosis (also called DVT; blood clot in a deep vein within the leg muscles), varicose veins
Lymphatic vessel diseases: Lymphedema (swelling in the lymph nodes caused by disruption of the normal drainage pattern)
Vascular diseases of the lungs: granulomatosis with polyangiitis (a rare disease in which the blood vessels become inflamed; mainly affects the respiratory tract and kidneys), angiitis (inflammation of the blood vessels), hypertensive pulmonary vascular disease (high blood pressure in the blood circulation of the lungs due to vascular conditions)
Renal (renal) vascular diseases: Renal artery stenosis (blockage of the renal artery), fibromuscular dysplasia (a condition that weakens the walls of medium-sized arteries and is predominantly seen in young women of childbearing age)
Genitourinary vascular diseases: Vascular erectile dysfunction (impotence)
Because vascular conditions and diseases can involve multiple systems of the body at the same time, many doctors treat vascular problems. Vascular medicine and/or surgery specialists work closely with physicians in other specialties, such as internal medicine, interventional radiology, cardiology, and others, to provide comprehensive care for patients with vascular disease.