Chapter 33 Diseases of the Veins and Arteries PDF

## SUMMARY REVIEW ### Diseases of the Veins 1. Varicosities are areas of veins in which blood has pooled, usually in the saphenous veins. Varicosities may be caused by damaged valves as a result of trauma to the valve or by chronic venous distention involving gravity and venous constriction. 2. Chr...

## SUMMARY REVIEW ### Diseases of the Veins 1. Varicosities are areas of veins in which blood has pooled, usually in the saphenous veins. Varicosities may be caused by damaged valves as a result of trauma to the valve or by chronic venous distention involving gravity and venous constriction. 2. Chronic venous insufficiency is inadequate venous return over a long period that causes pathologic ischemic changes in the vasculature, skin, and supporting tissues. 3. Superior vena cava syndrome most often results from compression of the SVC by tumors. 4. DVT occurs in individuals who have venous stasis (immobility, age, left heart failure), spinal cord injury, vein wall damage (trauma, intravenous medications), or hypercoagulable states (pregnancy, oral contraceptives, malignancy, genetic coagulopathies). 5. DVT is often asymptomatic but may lead to fatal pulmonary embolism; prevention and careful assessment in individuals at risk are crucial. ### Diseases of the Arteries 1. Hypertension is a sustained elevation of the systemic arterial blood pressure resulting from increases in cardiac output or total peripheral resistance, or both. Hypertension can be primary (without known cause) or secondary (caused by disease or drugs). Systolic hypertension is the most significant factor in causing target organ damage. 2. The risk factors for hypertension include a positive family history; male gender; advanced age; black race; obesity; high sodium intake; low potassium, calcium, and magnesium intake; diabetes mellitus; labile blood pressure; cigarette smoking; and heavy alcohol consumption. 3. Primary hypertension is the result of extremely complicated interactions of genetics and the environment mediated by a host of neurohumoral effects. These genes interact with diet, smoking, age, and the other risk factors to cause chronic changes in vascular tone and blood volume.