Cardiology

Vascular biology

The heart and blood vessels are both part of the vascular system. Arteries, which are tubes that convey blood from your heart to the rest of your body, and veins, which return blood to your heart, are examples of blood vessels. This intricate system performs a variety of tasks, the most important of which is transferring crucial oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and organs.

Arteries are thicker, making them more prone to obstructions and dilations. Veins are thinner than arteries and feature valves that keep blood flowing back to the heart. Clots can form in the major deep veins of the legs. There are three layers to blood arteries. The inner layer (intima) is bordered with endothelial cells, which are specialized cells. One of the key purposes of this lining is to prevent blood from clotting in the veins.

Muscle cells make up the middle layer (media), which permits the arteries to expand and contract.

The outer layer (adventitia) gives vessels their strength, preventing them from bursting under pressure. In general, illnesses of the blood vessels (especially the arteries) result in obstruction, which is frequently caused by atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), or degeneration (weakening of the wall), which leads to aneurysm. The following are examples of common diseases: The arteries that feed blood to the brain are blocked in Carotid Atherosclerosis. A stroke (brain injury) can occur when these arteries become unhealthy.

Aortic Aneurysm is a condition in which the aorta, the body's primary blood conduit, degenerates. When the aorta's wall weakens, it begins to dilate. In this situation, aortic rupture can result in death.

The arteries that provide blood to the legs are blocked in Peripheral Arterial Disease. When these arteries become damaged, the person may be unable to walk without difficulty or lose their limbs entirely.