Vascular Advice.
Renal Artery Stenosis Advice
Renal artery stenosis is a medical condition that affects the pipes (renal arteries) that carry blood from your heart to your kidneys. In this blog we will discuss what renal artery stenosis is, its symptoms, who is most at risk, how it can be detected via ultrasound, what causes it, and how to reduce your risk.
Why choose a vascular sonographer to do your scan?
A vascular sonographer has to perform 33 times the number of blood vessel scans to become accredited than general sonographers. This additional specialised training makes them better suited for vascular imaging.
Travel can cause blood clots (deep vein thrombosis, DVT)
A blood clot in a deep vein of the leg, pelvis, and sometimes arm, is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Veins are responsible for draining blood out of the arms and legs and returning flow back to the heart. In some people, these veins can block off due to clot (thrombus). This clot can break off (embolus) and end up in the lungs (pulmonary embolism), which is a potentially life threatening condition that might be avoided with early diagnosis and treatment.
All about blood clots or Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
A blood clot in a deep vein of the leg, pelvis, and sometimes arm, is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Veins are responsible for draining blood out of the arms and legs and returning flow back to the heart. In some people, these veins can block off due to clot (thrombus). This clot can break off (embolus) and end up in the lungs (pulmonary embolism), which is a potentially life threatening condition that might be avoided with early diagnosis and treatment.
Recurrent varicose veins
Many people experience recurrent varicose veins, in fact, 1 in 5 people in the 5 years following their initial treatment will have recurrence. It is even higher in those who had sclerotherapy.
Temporal arteritis / Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) advice
Temporal arteritis is an inflammation of the arteries near the temples and can also affect other arteries in the body, such as the ones that supply the eyes and brain. It is a condition that generally affects older people and requires urgent treatment as it can cause permanent blindness, stroke, aneurysms, and even death. Ultrasound is a safe and non-invasive way to look below the skin's surface at the temporal arteries to detect wall thickening and inflammation.
Carotid and Vertebral Artery Disease - Stroke awareness and prevention
Carotid and vertebral artery disease is a major cause of stroke, and can be responsible for about 20% of all strokes.
Ultrasound can be used to safely look inside your carotid and vertebral arteries and let you know if you are at risk for this condition. This allows you to take control of your artery health early and prevent the devastating consequences of stroke.
Screening for Aneurysms Saves Lives
Aneurysms can be a life threatening condition and in New Zealand there is currently no official screening program for aneurysms. As aneurysms often go without any symptoms there can be few clues suggesting we have one. You may be at risk from this treatable condition and could benefit from ultrasound to find out if you have one.
Take control of your circulation.
There are some key symptoms to look out for that are red flags that your circulation is not doing its job. Here’s our advice for good circulation, or blood supply, to the legs and feet.