What is a vascular disease of the upper extremities?
Blood in the arteries carries oxygen and nutrients from the heart to the tissues and organs of the body. When blood flow in arteries coming from the chest to the upper limbs broken due to their restriction or blockage, there are states, called vascular diseases of the upper extremities.
Vascular disease of the upper extremities - is a relatively rare form of arterial disease. Usually they occur gradually and progresses over a period of time. In the initial stages of the patient can not observe any symptoms. With the development and progression of the patient may appear in the hands of pain during physical activity. In the end, if not to resort to treatment, the sores may appear and even gangrene of the fingers. Gangrene - a necrosis that occurs in the absence of blood flow.
As with other diseases of arteries, vascular disease of the upper extremities may be caused by atherosclerosis. Normally, the lumen of the aorta and arteries, smooth and uniform. However, with age, as well as in certain diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, the arteries appear fat - the atherosclerotic plaque. They are composed of cholesterol, calcium and fibrous tissue. The more there is plaque in the arteries and the aorta, the more they narrow the lumen and the greater impair blood flow. This process is called atherosclerosis. In the end, there is a narrowing of the lumen of the arteries to such an extent that the blood on them can not normally be carried out.
