VASCULAR HEALTH RESOURCES
Learn about vascular health, common conditions, risk factors, and ways to take action for better circulation and overall health.
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About Vascular Health
Your blood vessels support every part of your body.
Your vascular system is the network of blood vessels that carries blood throughout your body. It delivers oxygen and nutrients to your organs and tissues and carries blood back to the heart
Think of it as the body's highway system:
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Arteries carry blood away from the heart to the rest of the body.
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Veins carry blood back toward the heart.
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Capillaries are tiny blood vessels that connect arteries and veins and help deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues.
When blood vessels become narrowed, blocked, weakened, or damaged. they can affect circulation anywhere in the body.
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What is Vascular Disease?
Vascular disease includes conditions that affect the arteries, veins, and circulation.
Some vascular diseases develop gradually and may cause few or no symptoms at first. Others can become serious quickly. Depending on the condition and where it occurs, vascular disease can affect mobility, wound healing, organ function, and overall health.
Understanding your vascular health can help you recognize possible warning signs, know your risks, and have informed conversations with your healthcare team.
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Why Vascular Health Matters
Healthy blood flow is essential to nearly every part of the body — from your brain and heart to your kidneys, legs, and feet.
When circulation is reduced or blood vessels become damaged, the effects can be serious. Vascular disease can contribute to pain, difficulty walking, wounds that do not heal, blood clots, stroke, and in severe cases, limb loss.
Vascular disease is also easy to overlook. Some conditions develop slowly, and symptoms may be mild, unusual, or absent. That means people may not realize there is a problem until the disease has progressed.
Knowing the signs and understanding your risk can make a difference. Earlier recognition can lead to conversations with a healthcare provider, appropriate testing, and treatment or lifestyle changes that may help protect your health.
Vascular disease can affect people in many different ways, and certain health conditions and risk factors can increase the likelihood of developing it.
Our Vascular Health Equity Academy offers information on more than 45 vascular health topics and conditions to help patients, caregivers, and communities learn more.
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Risk Factors & Prevention
Anyone can develop vascular disease, but some people are at greater risk.
Some risk factors cannot be changed, such as age and family history. Others can often be managed with healthy habits, medical care, or both.
Common risk factors include:
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Diabetes
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High cholesterol
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Tobacco use
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High blood pressure
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Overweight and obesity
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Physical inactivity
Having one or more risk factors does not mean you will develop vascular disease. But understanding your risks can help you make informed decisions about your health.
Steps that may help protect vascular health include avoiding tobacco, staying physically active, eating a balanced diet, and working with your healthcare team to manage blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and other health conditions.
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Common Vascular Conditions
Vascular disease includes many conditions affecting the arteries, veins, and circulation.
Foundation to Advance Vascular Cures helps patients, caregivers, and communities better understand these conditions by providing trusted education, raising awareness, and supporting research to improve vascular health and care.
Some common vascular conditions include:
Peripheral artery disease
Peripheral artery disease, or PAD, occurs when arteries supplying the legs and feet become narrowed or blocked. It may cause pain or fatigue during walking, although some people have mild, unusual, or no symptoms.
Without appropriate attention, PAD can contribute to wounds, infections, loss of mobility, and, in severe cases, limb loss. It is also an important sign of broader cardiovascular risk.
Carotid artery disease
The carotid arteries carry blood to the brain. When these arteries become narrowed by plaque, the risk of stroke may increase.
Blood clots and deep vein thrombosis
Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, occurs when a blood clot forms in a deep vein, most often in the leg.
A clot can become dangerous if it travels to the lungs.
Aortic disease and aneurysms
Aortic disease includes conditions affecting the aorta, the body’s largest artery. An aortic aneurysm occurs when part of the aorta becomes weakened and enlarged.
These conditions may develop without symptoms and can become serious if they progress.
Venous disease
Venous disease affects the veins that return blood to the heart.
Conditions can cause swelling, discomfort, skin changes, varicose veins, or wounds.
Limb-threatening circulation problems
Severely reduced blood flow can cause ongoing pain, wounds that do not heal, tissue damage, and risk of limb loss.
Early recognition and appropriate medical care are especially important.
Other vascular conditions
Vascular disease also includes vascular malformations, renal and mesenteric artery disease, thoracic outlet conditions, and many other disorders affecting blood vessels and circulation.
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Explore Vascular
Health Resources
Looking for more information about a vascular condition or your vascular health?
The Vascular Health Equity Academy Resource Library offers free educational resources for patients, caregivers, and communities. Our materials are designed to help people understand vascular conditions, recognize risk factors and symptoms, prepare for conversations with healthcare professionals, and learn about prevention, treatment, and research.
Learn about vascular conditions
Explore resources on:
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Peripheral Artery Disease
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Aortic dissection
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Carotid artery disease (CAD)
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Venous Thromboembolism (Blood Clots)
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Varicose veins
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Ischemia and CLTI
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More than 45 additional vascular health topics
More ways to learn
Interactive learning
Videos and patient stories
Healthy living and prevention resources
Caregiver and family resources
Materials in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese
