Concerning Symptoms
Recognize the signs that require immediate medical attention
Early recognition of warning signs related to vascular problems is critical in preventing serious complications. Vascular diseases can present with a variety of symptoms that should never be ignored.
Below are some of the most common symptoms that require prompt evaluation by a vascular specialist.
Concerning Symptoms
Find answers to common questions about worrying symptoms and how we can help.
What patients describe as dizziness, unsteadiness, or vertigo can be either: (A) a pre-faint/fainting episode, where the patient may see “stars,” experience blurred vision, and in some cases lose consciousness, or (B) vertigo, where the patient loses balance because the surrounding space seems to move or spin. A pre-fainting episode is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain (low blood pressure, carotid artery narrowing, or heart rhythm disorders), while vertigo is due to dysfunction of the balance mechanism (ENT problems or neurological conditions). Evaluation by a vascular surgeon is essential to rule out carotid artery stenosis.
When your legs hurt while walking, this may be due to reduced blood flow (artery narrowing), difficulty with venous blood return(venous thrombosis)), σε νευρολογικά προβλήματα (στένωση μεσοσπονδυλίων διαστημάτων από κήλες μεσοσπονδυλίων δίσκων) ή και σε ορθοπεδικά προβλήματα. Μία επίσκεψη Αγγειοχειρουργό σας μπορεί να αποκλείσει την ύπαρξη στενώσεων στις αρτηρίες των κάτω άκρων.
When only one leg swells, venous thrombosis is a more likely diagnosis than swelling in both lower limbs. Venous Thrombosis blocks blood from returning from the limb, causing swelling/edema that improves when the leg is elevated. In such cases, a timely evaluation by a vascular surgeon is essential.
Delayed wound healing or the unexplained appearance of new wounds/ulcers may indicate an underlying vascular problem (arterial or venous). To avoid infection with resistant microbes due to chronic, non-healing wounds, you should be evaluated promptly by a vascular surgeon so that the cause can be ruled out or treated early.
This symptom is called amaurosis fugax and may be due to small clots that embolize and block the blood vessels of the eye. These clots can be caused by heart rhythm disorders or by narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the brain, such as the carotid arteries , so assessment by a vascular surgeon in this situation is essential.
If you have a known abdominal aortic aneurysm and experience sudden pain in the abdomen or lower back, you should go immediately to the emergency department of the nearest hospital and/or contact your supervising vascular surgeon without delay.
It is well established that heredity plays an important role in the development of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Some families have a higher incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Therefore, if you have a relative with an abdominal aortic aneurysm and are over 60 years old, a vascular surgery evaluation is recommended to rule out the presence of an aneurysm.
Pain in diabetic patients is often reduced or even disappears due to peripheral neuropathy caused by diabetes. If you develop a foot ulcer , it is important to have it examined promptly by a vascular surgeon.
