Many vascular diseases give little or no warning before they strike. Early diagnosis and treatment can not only improve your quality of life, but also might prevent a major disability or even death. There are a number of things anyone can do to help prevent the occurrence of many vascular diseases. Some actions involve directives from medical professionals, others stress lifestyle adjustments and healthy habits.
Learn your family health history
If you know, through the health history of blood relatives, that you may be "at risk" or vulnerable to a particular disease or health condition (for example, if some member of your immediate family had poor circulation, high blood pressure, or died at an early age from something other than an accident), you may benefit by taking preventative measures before symptoms appear. Therefore, be sure to provide all family medical history information to your doctor when you go for a check-up.
Get physical examinations
Get regular, careful physical exams. Share ALL information, especially family health histories of blood relatives, with your doctor. If there are any suspected vascular abnormalities, doctors have a range of tests available, including ultra sound, arteriogram, magnetic resonance imaging, and x-ray arteriography examination, to confirm initial diagnoses and help define the best course of treatment.
Live a healthy lifestyle
Good daily health habits, including proper diet and sufficient exercise, are critically important to minimizing the risk of developing a vascular disease:
- Eliminate tobacco use
Among other negative effects on your helath, smoking puts you at a high risk of arterial diseases. Quitting smoking is often the single most important thing you can do to reduce the risk of vascular disease. Smoking damages blood vessels. Nicotine causes blood vessels to constrict and blood pressure to rise; it also slows a damaged vessel’s ability to heal. Stopping smoking is also critically important to stabilize plaques that might otherwise progress to thrombosis.
- Adopt healthy eating habits
Improving diet will help lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Fatty and cholesterol-laden foods can increase the amount of plaque buildup in your arteries. Also, avoid foods high in sodium (salt) because they can increase blood pressure. If exercise and dietary measures alone are insufficient, your physician may recommend prescription drugs to help lower cholesterol.
- Develop and maintain a regular exercise program
The lack of sufficient physical activity can cause overall deterioration of the arterial system. Regular physical activity is key to cardiovascular fitness. This will also help you maintain your ideal body weight and avoid obesity, another cause of vascular disease.
- Monitor high blood pressure
High blood pressure should be carefully monitored and managed. Again, if exercise and a healthier diet aren’t adequate, prescription drugs may need to be considered.
- Build relaxation into your workday
Reduce stress. Stress can increase blood pressure and the risk of vascular disease.
Follow your doctor’s orders
Vascular therapies, prescribed by a doctor, are important. If you are a smoker, suffer from diabetes, have high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol levels, or are overweight, your doctor may prescribe a daily regimen that could include the following:
- Monitor your blood pressure regularly
- Take medication as instructed
- Control your diabetes
Diabetes puts you at increased risk for vascular disease. Keeping blood sugar levels under control can help reduce the risk of stroke, and other vascular problems.
