Peripheral Vascular Disease Center - Cambridge, MACambridge Cardiologist Doctors for Peripheral Vascular DiseaseType of Physician: Cardiologist What is a Cardiologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners are expert in diseases of the heart, lungs and blood vessels. They consult with surgeons on heart surgery, perform diagnostic procedures, and manage complex conditions such as heart attacks and arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeat). Specialty: Cardiology Common Name: Heart Doctor Cardiologist Doctors in Cambridge * Cambridge Health Alliance Cardiology  Cambridge Health Alliance Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Cardiology  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Cardiology  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Cardiology  Edalji & Komer MDs  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Cardiology  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Cardiology  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Cardiology  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Cardiology  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Cardiology  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Cardiology  Kenneth Rice MD FACC  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Cardiology  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Cardiology  Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Cardiology  Cardiology Associates Greater Boston  Richard R Ress MD  Cardiology Associates Greater Boston  Cardiology Associates Greater Boston  Parnag H Kasarjian MD  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiac Services  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiovascular  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiology  Mount Auburn Cardiology Associates  Central MA Cardiovascular Physicians Inc  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiology  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiology  Children's Hospital Boston Cardiology  Stafford I Cohen MD  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiology  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiology  Ary L Goldberger MD  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiology  Marion P Hogan MD  Peter M Kang MD  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiovascular  Mount Auburn Cardiology Associates  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiac Services  Roger J Laham MD  Mount Auburn Cardiology Associates  Roger J Laham MD  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiac Services  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiology  John E Markis MD  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiology  Murray A Mittleman MD  Cardiovascular Health & Lipid Clinic  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiac Services  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiology  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiac Services  Mount Auburn Cardiology Associates  Burton Rabinowitz MD  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiac Services  Mount Auburn Cardiology Associates  Children's Hospital Boston Cardiology  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiology  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiology  Mount Auburn Cardiology Associates  Lown Cardiovascular Center  Lown Cardiovascular Center  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Elliott M Antman MD  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Christopher P Cannon MD  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  New England Journal of Medicine  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiovascular  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology  Brigham Internal Medicine Associates  Brigham & Women's Hospital Cardiology Cambridge, MassachusettsUpcoming Local Events2012-06-10
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Peripheral Vascular DiseaseRead the Peripheral Vascular Disease article » What is peripheral vascular disease?Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) refers to diseases of the blood vessels (arteries and veins) located outside the heart and brain. While there are many causes of peripheral vascular disease, doctors commonly use the term peripheral vascular disease to refer to peripheral artery disease (peripheral arterial disease, PAD), a condition that develops when the arteries that supply blood to the internal organs, arms, and legs become completely or partially blocked as a result of atherosclerosis.
What is atherosclerosis?Atherosclerosis is a gradual process whereby hard cholesterol substances (plaques) are deposited in the walls of the arteries. Cholesterol plaques cause hardening of the artery walls and narrowing of the inner channel (lumen) of the artery. The atherosclerosis process begins early in life (as early as teens in some people). When atherosclerosis is mild and the arteries are not substantially narrowed, atherosclerosis causes no symptoms. Therefore many adults typically are unaware that their arteries are gradually accumulating cholesterol plaques. But when atherosclerosis becomes advanced with aging, it can cause critical narrowing of the arteries resulting in tissue ischemia (lack of blood and oxygen). Arteries that are narrowed by advanced atherosclerosis can cause diseases in different organs. For example, advanced atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries (arteries that supply heart muscles) can lead to angina and heart attacks. Advanced atherosclerosis of the carotid and cerebral arteries (arteries that supply blood to the brain) can lead to strokes and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). Advanced atherosclerosis in the lower extremities can lead to pain while walking or exercising (claudication), deficient wound healing, and/or leg ulcers.
Recommended Reading Related to Peripheral Vascular DiseaseVitamins & Exercise: Heart Attack Prevention Series » Folic acid, B vitamins, and homocysteineHomocysteine is metabolized (chemically transformed) into methionine and cysteine with the help of the B vitamins; folic acid, B12, and B6 (pyridoxine). Therefore, insufficient amounts of these B vitamins in the body can theoretically hamper the metabolic breakdown of homocysteine, and hence increase its blood levels. High levels of homocysteine in the blood (hyperhomocysteinemia) can damage the inner surface of blood vessels, promote blood clotting, and accelerate atherosclerosis. The current state of knowledge regarding folic acid, homocysteine, and heart attacks is as follows:
Read the Vitamins & Exercise: Heart Attack Prevention Series article » Other Related Peripheral Vascular Disease ArticlesEmergency Contact for Cambridge
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Diabetes Treatment
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