Vascular Unit

Experienced consultants manage the health of your veins and arteries

Our vascular unit provides accurate diagnosis, management and surgical treatment of disorders of the veins and arteries.

Our state-of-the-art vascular unit provides the relaxing space needed for medical consultations, diagnostic tests and treatment. Our vascular department draws on the experience of leading consultants, who are able to deliver the breadth of medical management needed within this speciality. Should it be necessary, they can liaise with Sulis Hospital’s expert cardiologists for a further opinion as needed. This approach to care leads to the very best clinical outcomes for our patients.

Our expert approach to providing vascular services means that your problems will be clearly listened to. We want to ensure you receive the most suitable investigations for any health concerns, and we strive to give our patients a unique understanding of their condition, management options and full control over their condition with follow-up appointments scheduled to monitor relevant disease markers.

What is vascular medicine?

Vascular medicine includes the non-surgical and surgical branches of medicine which diagnose, manage and treat disorders of the veins and arteries.

Although vascular medicine treats conditions such as varicose veins and also monitors and treats weaknesses in blood vessels called aneurysms, much of vascular medicine deals with problems related to a process known as atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis causes a narrowing of the arteries. Eventually, it leads to constriction in the arteries, and in severe cases can block blood flow through certain vessels. Caused by the body laying down fatty plaques on the inside of the blood vessels, when this process occurs over many years these plaques may build up and harden the wall of the arteries.

The body is able to adapt to a reduction in blood flow through certain arteries up to a point. However, when atherosclerosis becomes severe and/ or affects many vessels supplying a particular body part, the muscles or organs affected may start to demonstrate symptoms. Most commonly, symptoms of atherosclerosis affect the brain, heart or legs.

Vascular conditions can be caused by many factors including genetic factors, lifestyle factors including diet and exercise habits as well as other health conditions, such as diabetes. The main cause of developing vascular disease is smoking.

Vascular units will use a range of tests including physical examination, vascular pressure tests and imaging to accurately diagnose the patient’s symptoms. Treatments will often include a combination

of non-invasive solutions such as lifestyle management, medication management and possibly invasive/interventional procedures.