The vascular system is the system of blood vessels, which includes arteries, veins and lymph vessels. The arteries carry blood from the heart to the tissues throughout your body and veins carry it back to the heart.

Vascular Diseases

Atherosclerosis– Normally the inner wall of an artery is smooth and firm, allowing blood to flow freely. Over time, the arteries may develop atherosclerosis, a process commonly called “hardening of the arteries”. During this process, an accumulation of cholesterol or fatty materials causes the inner lining of the artery to become thickened and rough. This build- up, called plaque, may cause the artery to narrow or even close off completely. Aneurysms:   An aneurysm is a dilation or enlargement of an artery segment (like a balloon) that poses a risk due to its potential for rupture, clotting, or dissecting. The rupture of an aneurysm in the brain can cause a stroke, while the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) may cause severe shock. A ruptured aneurysm in either location can be a life-threatening event.

Peripheral arterial disease is a condition like coronary artery disease and carotid artery disease.  In PAD, fatty deposits build up along artery walls and affect blood circulation, mainly in arteries leading to legs and feet.  In its early stages, a common symptom is cramping or fatigue in the legs and buttocks during activity. People with PAD have a higher risk of death from stroke and heart attack due to the risk of blood clots.

More than 100,000 lower-leg and foot amputations are done every year in the United States because of peripheral artery disease. PAD is a narrowing or loss of the small blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the feet, legs and hands, and can cause non-healing foot and leg ulcers, pain with walking, and blood clots that can lodge in small vessels and result in limb-threatening loss of blood and oxygen.  This can cause various symptoms depending on which organ system is affected. The symptoms range from pain, cold feet, and bluish discoloration to stroke or gangrene; if it is not reversed, the body part affected is injured and eventually starts to die. It is important to detect the narrowed artery before damage occurs. The pulses in the arm or leg are decreased or absent, indicating a lack of arterial blood flow

Ischemic Vascular Disease The most common form of ischemic vascular disease is peripheral artery disease, affecting the blood vessels outside of the heart and brain. As plaque builds in the arteries to the legs, arms or kidneys, the blood flow is gradually blocked. The condition may be asymptomatic for decades. It is believed the condition can begin as early as the teens, taking many years to become noticeable. Once the constrictions become severe, symptoms occur, including cold hands or feet, cramping or pain in leg muscles, and reduced or absent arm or leg pulse

Inflammation is a primary player in the development of coronary vascular disease. It occurs when white blood cells that normally defend against infection invade and become active in a tissue. Dr. Peter Libby, writing in the journal Circulation, explains that excess LDL particles accumulate in the artery wall and undergo a series of chemical changes. These modified LDLs combine with many other immune cells in the blood–including macrophages, which ingest the oxidized LDLs–producing many inflammatory factors. These fat -laden macrophages accumulate and attach themselves to the inner lining of the artery, initiating the earliest form of the atherosclerotic plaque that will eventually obstruct the flow of blood through the artery.

Hardening of the arteries (arthrosclerosis) is a disorder in which arteries (blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to other parts of the body) become narrowed because fat (cholesterol deposits called atherosclerosis) is first deposited on the inside walls of the arteries, then becomes hardened by fibrous tissue and calcification (arteriosclerosis). As this plaque grows, it narrows the lumen of the artery (the space in the artery tubes), thereby reducing both the oxygen and blood supply to the affected organ (like the heart, eyes, kidney, legs, gut, or the brain). The plaque may eventually severely block the artery, causing death of the tissue supplied by the artery, for example, heart attack or stroke.

Oxygen Therapy promotes healing during and after the treatment. Patients should show signs of new artery growth and healing. Stop smoking. Smoking tightens arteries, decreases the blood’s ability to carry oxygen, and increases the risk of forming clots (thrombi and emboli).  It has long been understood that healing cannot be achieved without   sufficient oxygen levels in the tissues, where most illnesses and injuries   occur and often linger.  Mega Oxygen ™ can provide this….  Oxygen, naturally risk free, and can therefore, make a significant difference in patient outcomes. Use Mega Oxygen ™ today!