Carotid Artery: The carotid artery is the main artery serving the brain. If blood flow is slowed by a narrowing or stenosis caused by plaque formation a person can experience a Tia/ Stroke or commonly called a Brain Attack. The symptoms are as follows:

• Sudden loss of vision in one eye or the other
• Inability to speak clearly or understand what is spoken to you
• Weakness in an arm or leg, possibly both
• Facial droop
• Disorientation or loss of consciousness

Carotid diseases is a blockage of the carotid artery, which gives rise to a transient change (TIA) or permanent change (Stroke) in the brain.

Upper Extremity Arteries: There are some problems that can develop due to blockages in the arteries that serve your arm. Some of the symptoms are:

• Pain with exercise in the arm ( claudicating ) and fatigue
• Tissue discoloration in the finger tips due to embolization
• Swelling

Abdominal Aorta: This vessel controls circulation to the major organs of the abdomen and to the lower extremities.

• Blockages
  • Pain in the buttocks and legs, brought on by walking
  • Sexual dysfunction in males
  • High blood pressure with multiple medications when the blood supply to the kidneys is affected
  • Pain in the abdomen during eating that causes one to stop eating
• Aneurysm (ballooning of the artery)
  • Severe back/or abdominal pain
  • Pulsatile mass in the abdomen
  • Most patients have no symptoms and the aneurysm is incidentally found on other tests

Both a blockage in the aorta or aneurysmal dilation can be easily treated once diagnosed.

Lower Extremities

Femoral and Popliteal arteries: These arteries are commonly affected by arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

• Claudication is pain with walking. Often in the calf, thigh, or sometimes the foot, relieved by rest
• Ulcers or gangrene in advanced stages

Venous Disease

Thromboembolism:

• Superficial thromboembolism causes:
  • Heat
  • Redness
  • Swelling
  • Pain at the site of thrombosis
• Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)
  • Unilateral swelling of the calf or leg
  • Dilatation of superficial veins
  • Along with pain, redness and sometimes heat

When diagnosed this process is easily treated. Sometimes this will require hospitalization.

Varicose Veins a common disorder in the legs, the symptoms can be:

• Swelling in the affected leg
• Pain after prolonged standing or sitting
• Dilated tortuous veins visible on the surface
• Brawny skin discoloration
• A feeling of heaviness in the legs

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