EN 
ES Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a slow and progressive circulation disorder. Includes all diseases of blood vessels outside the heart and diseases of lymphatic vessels
ticos.
Associated disorders affecting the veins include deep venous thrombosis, varicose veins, and chronic venous insufficiency.
In the majority of cases, especially in the elderly population, it is a manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis, hence its great importance.
More than half of patients will have coronary and / or cerebrovascular involvement, and their mortality risk is three times higher than patients without PVD.
Cause of obstructions:
- Arterial: may be due to a disease called atherosclerosis, which consists of the formation of an atherosclerotic plaque within an artery, which becomes obstructed; blood flow decreases or stops, and can cause ischemia.
- Venous: The main cause is stasis caused by valvular injury, varicose dilation, postphlebitic syndrome, or the presence of arteriovenous fistulas, whether congenital or post-traumatic.
- Lymphatic: The type of edema produced by an obstruction in the lymphatic channels of the organism brings about the increase of the volume of the extremities, in complete or partial progressive form.
Non-modifiable risk factors for arterial vascular disease: - Age (from 50 years old)
- History of heart disease
- Male sex
- Postmenopause
- Family history of dyslipidemia.
Modifiable: - Coronary heart disease
- Diabetes
- Dyslipidemia
- Arterial hypertension
- Obesity
- Sedentary
- Smoking
- Diet with high content of saturated fats.
Risk factors for venous vascular disease: - Genetics
- Female sex (4: 1)
- Age from 30 to 60 years
- Obesity
- It is more frequent in multiparous
- Diet: constipation
- Sedentary work
Risk factors for lymphatic vascular disease: - Surgical removal of a large number of axillary lymph nodes
- Radiation of the axillary lymph nodes
- The combination of both surgery and radiation in the axillary lymph nodes.
- Overweight
- Infections in the surgical area after surgery.
Symptom: - Intermittent claudication in the calf.
- Changes in the skin (low temperature or skin of the legs and feet becomes thin, weak and shiny)
- Decreased pulsations in the legs and feet
- Gangrene
- Loss of hair on the legs
- Wounds in pressure points that do not heal
- Numbness, weakness or heaviness in the muscles
- Pain (with stitches or burning) at rest
- Paleness when elevating the legs.
- Reddish-bluish discolorations on the extremities.
- Limited mobility
- Intense pain
- Thick and opaque feet nails
- Cramps
- Pruritus
- Evening edemas
Diagnostic methods:
It can be diagnosed with clinical evaluation and confirmed by the following studies:
- X-ray angiogram of the arteries and veins to detect obstruction or narrowing of the vessels.
- Flow examination using Doppler ultrasonography, which uses high-frequency sound waves and a computer to create images of blood vessels, tissues and organs.
- Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) test that uses the combination of large magnets, radiofrequency and a computer to produce detailed images of organs and structures inside the body.
Published in: Today Digital Newspaper
