COMMON DISEASES OF BLOOD VESSELS

In the UK, diseases affecting blood vessels are among the biggest killers each year. The cells of our body are so dependent on the oxygen and nutrients supplied by blood that a blockage or rupture in the vascular network can quickly cause catastrophic damage. While some diseases are genetic, many common diseases are caused at least in part by lifestyle choices, such as a poor diet, which results in the bloodstream carrying more harmful compounds than it ideally should. With an increasingly high-fat and sedentary lifestyle, these diseases are growing ever more frequent. Fortunately, however, lifestyle changes and medical innovations are helping to save lives.

Surgery is sometimes necessary to combat blockages and ruptures of the vascular network