Risk Factors and Prevention of Vascular Disease
Some risk factors for vascular disease can be reduced or managed through diet and lifestyle changes, or with medication:
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Other factors cannot be changed or controlled:
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Both arterial and venous vascular diseases have in common almost all the risk factors for each form of the disease. Additional risk factors for venous vascular disease include illness, injury or prolonged periods of inactivity (sitting, standing, bed rest).
Special risks
Smoking — people who smoke raise their risk for vascular disease dramatically. The level of risk declines quickly for people who quit smoking, even for those who were heavy smokers.
Diabetes — PVD may occur more often as a complication of diabetes, due to damage done by the disease to blood vessels in the legs and feet.
Prevention
Preventing or reducing the risk of vascular disease requires an awareness of the lifestyle issues that play a role in vascular disease and the decision to adopt a healthier diet and lifestyle.
- If you smoke, or others in your household smoke, your risk for vascular disease is greatly increased. Quitting, sooner rather than later, dramatically reduces that risk.
- If you are overweight, take the necessary steps to address that issue.
- Learn more about how cholesterol and saturated fat in your diet affect your cholesterol level. Have your cholesterol checked and discuss the results with your doctor.
- The right amount of exercise also affects cholesterol, as well as blood pressure.