The circulatory system of the body is made of the heart and blood vessels. Blood circulates through the body via blood vessels like the arteries and veins. The heart pumps blood to all parts of the body through the arteries. The circulatory system ensures that oxygen rich blood gets to all parts of the body and that de-oxygenated blood is transported back to the heart; for oxygenation in the lungs. Certain diseases can impair the function of the circulatory system.
High Blood Pressure
When blood travels through the body, it exerts a certain amount of force or pressure on the walls of the blood vessels through which it moves. High blood pressure occurs when this force rises and stays high. Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure and it can lead to the inability of the heart to pump effectively or heart failure, stroke and other heart diseases. According to the National Heart Blood and Lung Institute, hypertension can be caused by increasing age, by certain medications and by medical problems such as kidney disease.
Heart Attack
The American Heart Association reports that a heart attack occurs when blood flow to parts of the heart is reduced or stopped altogether. This condition occurs when the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart become narrow or blocked. Atherosclerosis is a process that contributes to the occurrence of a heart attack. In atherosclerosis, there is buildup of fatty substances on the walls of the blood vessels which later turn into a hard substance called plaque.
Rupture of this plaque causes formation of blood clots which can block blood supply to the heart and lead to a heart attack. Plaque accumulation can also cause narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the heart with blood. Due to reduction in blood supply, this can result in a heart attack as well.
Peripheral Arterial Disease
Peripheral arterial disease or P.A.D is a circulatory disease that affects arteries located outside the heart and brain. It affects blood supply to areas of the body like the organs, legs and arms. P.A.D typically affects arteries that deliver blood to the legs. In P.A.D, the arteries that deliver blood to the legs become narrow or blocked due to plaque accumulation or blood clot formation. According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common symptom of P.A.D is pain in the legs when walking. This pain is called intermittent claudication and occurs because the muscles in the legs do not receive enough oxygen rich blood due to narrowed or blocked arteries.
Raynauds Disease
Raynaud's disease affects the small arteries that supply blood to the fingers, toes, tips of the nose and ears to name a few. It is a disease that frequently affects the fingers. In this disease, the arteries that supply blood to the fingers suddenly become narrow and this reduces the flow of oxygen rich blood to the fingers. This causes the fingers or affected area to become numb, painful, cold and turn white or pale then blue. When the arteries return to their normal size, blood flow to the affected areas resume. In this case, the affected areas become red, start to tingle and throb.
