How to Reduce the Risk of Vascular Disease

Vascular Disease Overview

Vascular diseases usually affect blood flow by affecting the arteries and/or veins. The blood vessels might get narrow or blocked. Sometimes, the valves in the veins may get damaged. Reduced or changing blood flow negatively affects all the organs of the body since they rely on blood for nutrients and oxygen, etc. The three major vascular diseases are heart attack, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. All three can be associated to a common cause- the build of plaque consisting of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste, etc. and the condition is known as atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic vascular disease which affects many major blood vessels. It could affect the arteries to the brain (carotid), to the heart (coronary), and even the peripheral arteries. The disease is even more dangerous since it progresses very rapidly. So, instead of dealing with it once it has occurred, one must try and reduce the risk of any vascular diseases.

To properly analyze what can be done to reduce the risk of vascular diseases, we need to look into potential causes, some are written below:

• Smoking has not only been linked to causing vascular diseases, it actually makes atherosclerosis progress much faster. It also reduces the amount of blood flow. Smoking too much can also cause your blood to thicken which again, makes it difficult for the blood to pass through the arteries at an ideal speed and pressure.
• If you don’t have diabetes, you should get your glucose level checked just as a precaution to ensure that there are no latent issues that could become worse later. There are cases where the glucose is not high enough to cause diabetes but it high enough to be a cause of concern. In such a case, your doctor might advise you to control the sugar in your diet. It is also advisable to go for regular check-ups.
• If you do have diabetes, the higher level of glucose in your body can fasten the process of atherosclerosis. So, it is important for diabetic patients to follow their medication properly and keep a track of their sugar intake.
• The perfect reading for blood pressure is 120/80 but there is a certain deviation that is accepted. However, beyond that, on the higher scale, you may have hypertension. Hypertension can also fasten the process of atherosclerosis. In case you do have a high blood pressure, you should regularly go for check-ups to check if your medication is keeping your blood pressure in check.

To ensure that your risk of vascular disease stays at a minimum, you can take the following steps:

• If you smoke, stop smoking. You can take the help of medical professionals to get rid of your addiction since that is much easier than living with a vascular disease
• A balanced diet goes a long way to keep you healthy and safe. If you handle your food intake properly, you can easily control other factors like cholesterol, BP, diabetes, and obesity, all of which can cause accelerated growth of atherosclerosis.
• Any fat that blocks your arteries is eventually going to harm you and can become as serious as triggering a heart attack. Reduce the intake of unnecessary fat like trans fat which could get stored as ‘bad cholesterol’. Make sure that you are active. Even if you don’t want to exercise, keep moving.
• A major risk factor for your body is your blood pressure. Try and keep your blood pressure at a normal level and if you have high blood pressure, take your medications properly. Make sure you get the right numbers and keep them.
• Don’t stress too much and always remember to catch up on your sleep. Also, if you drink alcohol, track your alcohol intake so you don’t drink harmful amounts.