VASCULAR MEDICINE – ITS SIGNIFICANCE AND ROLE IN MEDICINE

• Main Author: Pavel Poredoš
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Slovenian Medical Association 2008-02-01
• Series: Zdravniški Vestnik
• Online Access: http://vestnik.szd.si/index.php/ZdravVest/article/view/917
• ISSN: 1318-0347; 1581-0224

BACKGROUND Vascular medicine in broader sense represents arterial and venous diseases and lymphaticcirculation and microcirculation disorders. In narrower sense it covers the field of noncoronaryvenous diseases, especially the ones related to lower limb arteries, extracranialbrain and kidney arteries and aorta. All these forms of atherosclerotic disease have a lot incommon as atherosclerosis involves a systemic nature of disease. Therefore, all aforementioneddiseases are, in fact, only different presentations of the same disease process. That iswhy pre-clinical and clinical pictures of atherosclerotic disease are closely related. Fortunately,insight into arterial system as a whole is enabled through simply accessible lowerlimb arteries and carotids. Different atherosclerotic venous diseases are related also bymeans of similar or identical risk factors. Consequently, pathohystological picture of thedisease at different sections can be very similar or even identical. Certain differences existonly in the origin mechanism of cardiovascular complications with specifical consequencesand depend on affected organ. All forms of atherosclerotic disease share also commonpreventive procedures and comparable efficacy of different methods for their preventionand treatment. CONCLUSIONS Due to such close relationship a centralized and comprehensive treatment of vasculardiseases at one spot would be recommended. In order to achieve higher quality and more rational treatment, a systemic education at all levels is needed. In addition, organizationof vascular centres for treatment of patients having different diseases is clearly indicated