The specialty of medical science that is immersed in the physiology and pathology of vascular diseases is vascular surgery. This specialty nowadays has been highly developed, offering great relief to vascular patients, as its quiver is filled with many modern weapons against vascular diseases, which the modern vascular surgeon must use with absolute knowledge, responsibility and prudence.
“Is there a way for today’s man to be able to prevent vascular disease?” What is the role of modern vascular surgery in achieving this goal? In order to be able to answer the above questions in detail and clearly, we must remember that: vascular diseases are called diseases of the arteries, veins and lymphatics. The former are a major threat not only to the quality of human life but also to life itself, the latter significantly affect the daily life and efficiency of the patient, often hiding serious complications that may afflict him and in extreme cases can to be particularly life-threatening, while the third are characterized by chronicity “, points out Mr. Konstantinos N. Xiromeritis, PhD, MSc, Vascular Surgeon – Doctor of the University of Athens, Director of the Vascular Clinic-Intravascular Laser Metropolitan General.
Vascular diseases can appear suddenly (acute) or gradually (chronic). Acute arterial disease often requires surgery. Chronic need monitoring and treatment depending on the case. Acute venous diseases need evaluation and immediate support. Chronic venous diseases today are treated at the earliest possible stage, always depending on the severity of the problem they create and the risk to the patient.
The most characteristic symptoms of vascular diseases that we are called to evaluate are: pain in the legs (calf, thigh) when walking that forces the patient to temporarily stop walking, transient blurred vision lasting a few seconds, temporary weakness of the limbs lasting a few seconds and a few hours, a lump in the abdomen and pulsation, sexual dysfunction or dysfunction at a relatively young age (<60 years), sudden swelling and pain in one limb, always swollen and tired with a strong feeling of heaviness in the legs, which usually subside the night.
It should be noted that some pathological conditions predispose to the development of serious vascular diseases, such as: diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, homocysteinemia, arrhythmias, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc. for arterial diseases and taking hormones, obesity, use of contraceptives, bed rest, etc. for venous diseases. The role of heredity in both categories is particularly important.
Prevention plays a very big role in treatment, through the knowledge of the harmful daily habits of modern man such as smoking, sedentary life, daily stress, lack of movement and exercise, indifference to physical and mental health, uncontrolled diet, prolonged standing etc.
“Suspicious symptoms should lead to an assessment by a specialist vascular surgeon, a fact that is not painful or unpleasant at all. The existence of specific predisposing factors and conditions, as mentioned above, should create two obligations: on the one hand the proper regulation and control of these always in collaboration with the treating physician and on the other hand the evaluation and investigation by the vascular surgeon of other possible asymptomatic vascular diseases. “such as carotid stenosis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, chronic obstruction of peripheral arteries, varicose veins of the lower extremities and many more,” explains the doctor.
Great care is required in harmful daily habits such as: smoking on a long-term basis, which is more than certain to cause vascular problems such as myocardial infarction, stroke and severe peripheral vascular disease. However, the fact that the complications of smoking do not appear at a young age rests the smokers, who will later be confronted with them.
Quitting smoking not only drastically reduces vascular disease, but also acts therapeutically by reducing pain and the extent of damage, greatly increasing survival. Daily exercise is not something difficult or complex in practice, just walking on daily commutes should replace the motorbike, bus or car.
Recreation and entertainment are often associated with food and drink. If this is not easy to change, it is good to have self-discipline and self-restraint, so that the fun is first of the soul and then of the body.
In his daily life, modern man is called to face serious and complex problems in the family, at work and in the social environment that often create excessive stress and stress, which clearly have an aggravating effect not only on the vascular system but on the whole organism. How everyone overcomes this problem has to do with their relationship with themselves, that is, how much they value their personality.
“Finally, we must point out that the vascular surgeon has a role primarily advisory and then interventional. Thus, he must evaluate the symptoms, explain to his patient the nature of the problem without scaring him and, above all, inform him adequately and in every detail about the type of treatment, the expected results and the possible complications. “The patient’s trust in the doctor and the doctor’s respect for the patient are the most complete form of cooperation”, concludes Mr. Xiromeritis.
Writes:
K. Konstantinos N. Xiromeritis, PhD, MSc, Vascular Surgeon – Doctor of the University of Athens,
Director of the Vascular Surgery Clinic-Endotracheal Laser of Metropolitan General
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