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

Vascular diseases involve occlusion, or narrowing of arteries by plaques, causing reduced blood flow through these vessels to your arms, leg, head and neck or to the abdominal organs, such as the kidneys and the bowel. In addition, ballooning of the arteries, usually of the main artery of the body, the aorta, results in aortic aneurysms . Rupture of these may cause bleeding and even death.

Numerous problems can result from vascular diseases -- ranging from leg pain during physical activity (claudication) to deterioration of skin leading to ulcers and gangrene. If a condition is severe, it may require open vascular surgery or endovascular interventions, such as angioplasty or stents .

Aortic aneurysms can be repaired with both stent-grafts and open surgery. Acute leg swelling due to blood clots may need treatment with drugs or interventions. Varicose veins or leg ulcers due to vein problems may need intensive medical treatment, surgery or other interventions.

The Iowa Clinic’s multispecialty staff from vascular medicine, vascular surgery, diagnostic and interventional radiology, together with members of other specialties, strengthen the vascular center's effectiveness in treating these disorders.