References

Aboyans V, Ricco JB, Bartelink MLEL 2017 ESC Guidelines on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Peripheral Arterial Diseases, in collaboration with the European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS): document covering atherosclerotic disease of extracranial carotid and vertebral, mesenteric, renal, upper and lower extremity arteries. Eur Heart J. 2018; 39:(9)763-816 https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehx095

Beristain-Covarrubais N, Perez-Toledo M, Thomas MR, Henderson IR, Watson SP, Cunningham AF. Understanding infection-induced thrombosis: lessons learned from animal models. Front Immunol. 2019; 10 https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2019.02569

Blanchflower J, Peate I. The vascular system and associated disorders. Chapter 9, 4th edn. In: Peate I (ed). Chichester: Wiley; 2021

Blokhin I, Lentz S. Mechanisms of thrombosis in obesity. Curr Opin Hematol. 2013; 20:(5)437-444

Pathophysiology and principles of management of varicose veins. 2011. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534256/

The mechanism of oral contraceptive (birth control pill) induced clot of thrombus formation (DVT, VTE, PE). Evidence-Based Medicine Consult. 2015. https://tinyurl.com/yt3w74sw (accessed 26 July 2023)

Physiology cardiovascular. 2022. https://www.statpearls.com/point-of-care/18942 (accessed 26 July 2022)

Cheng Y-J, Liu Z-H, Yao F-J Current and former smoking and risk for venous thromboembolism: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Med. 2013; 10:(9) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001515

Conte MS, Bradbury AW, Kolh P Global vascular guidelines on the management of chronic limb-threatening ischemia. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg. 2019; 58:S1-S109 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejvs.2019.05.006

Damjanov I. The blood vessels, 3rd edn. In: Damjanov I (ed). : Mosby/Elsevier; 2009

Davies J, Bull R, Farrelly I, Wakelin M. Improving the calf pump using home-based exercises for patients with chronic venous disease. Wounds UK. 2008; 4:(3)48-58

Engbers MJ, Van Hylckama Vlieg A, Rosendaal FR. Venous thrombosis in the elderly: incidence, risk factors and risk groups. J Thromb Haemost. 2010; 8:(10)2105-2112 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1538-7836.2010.03986.x

Gialeraki A, Valsami S, Pittaras T, Panayiotakopoulos G, Politou M. Oral contraceptives and HRT risk of thrombosis. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2018; 24:(2)217-225 https://doi.org/10.1177/1076029616683802

Giannotta M, Tapete G, Emmi G, Silvestri E, Milla M. Thrombosis in inflammatory bowel diseases: what's the link?. Thromb J. 2015; 13:(1) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12959-015-0044-2

Herrmann J, Yang EH, Iliescu CA Vascular toxicities of cancer therapies: the old and the new—an evolving avenue. Circulation. 2020; 140:(15)1282-1298 https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.045758

Jarvis S. Vascular system 1: anatomy and physiology. Nursing Times. 2018; 114:(4)40-44

Khan F, Rahman A, Carrier M Long term risk of symptomatic recurrent venous thromboembolism after discontinuation of anticoagulant treatment for first unprovoked venous thromboembolism event: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2019; 366 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l4363

Lurie F, Passman M, Meisner M The 2020 update of the CEAP classification system and reporting standards. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord. 2020; 8:(3)342-352 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvsv.2019.12.075

Pathophysiology: the biologic basis for disease in adults and children, 8th edn. In: McCance KL, Huether SE, Brasher VL, Rote NS (eds). St Louis: Mosby; 2018

McDermott MM, Guralnik JM, Tian L Associations of lower extremity ischemia, lower extremity function, and functional decline in peripheral artery disease. J Am Heart Assoc. 2019; 8:(15) https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.118.010829

Moffatt C, Martin R, Smithdale R. Leg ulcer management.Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell; 2007

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Peripheral arterial disease: diagnosis and management. Clinical guideline CG147. 2020. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg147 (accessed 26 July 2023)

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Hypertension in adults: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline NG136. 2022a. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng136 (accessed 26 July 2023)

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Peripheral arterial disease: How common is it? Clinical Knowledge Summary. 2022b. https://tinyurl.com/mr48u8dm (accessed 31 July 2023)

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Venous eczema and lipodermatosclerosis: What are the causes and risk factors? Clinical Knowledge Summary. 2022c. https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/venous-eczema-lipodermatosclerosis/background-information/causes-risk-factors/

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Deep vein thrombosis: What are the risk factors? Clinical Knowledge Summary. 2023. https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/deep-vein-thrombosis/background-information/risk-factors/ (accessed 26 July 2023)

Public Health England. Hypertension prevalence estimates in England, 2017. 2020. https://tinyurl.com/ycxyhj47 (accessed 26 July 2023)

Roach REJ, Cannegieter SC, Lijfering WM. Differential risks in men and women for first and recurrent venous thrombosis: the role of genes and environment. J Thromb Haemost. 2014; 12:(10)1593-1600 https://doi.org/10.1111/jth.12678

Rooke TW, Hirsch AT, Misra S 2011 ACCF/AHA Focused Update of the Guideline for the Management of Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease (Updating the 2005 Guideline). J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011; 58:(19)2020-2045 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2011.08.023

Ropacka-Lesiak M, Kasperczak J, Berborowicz G. Risk factors for the development of venous insufficiency of the lower limbs during pregnancy – part 1. Ginekol Pol. 2012; 83:(12)939-942

Hypercoagulability. 2022. https://www.statpearls.com/point-of-care/23168 (accessed 26 July 2023)

Physiology, arterial pressure regulation. 2022. https://www.statpearls.com/point-of-care/789 (accessed 26 July 2023)

Shammas NW. Epidemiology, classification, and modifiable risk factors of peripheral arterial disease. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2007; 3:(2)229-234 https://doi.org/10.2147/vhrm.2007.3.2.229

Acute arterial occlusion. 2023. https://www.statpearls.com/point-of-care/17146 (accessed 26 July 2023)

Solymoss S. Risk of venous thromboembolism with oral contraceptives. CMAJ. 2011; 183:(18)E1278-E1279 https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.111614

Star A. Differentiating lower extremity wounds: arterial, venous, neurotrophic. Semin Intervent Radiol. 2018; 35:(5)399-405 https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0038-1676362

Tafur AJ, Rathbun S. Varicose veins. Chapter 54, 2nd edn. In: Creager MA, Loscalzo Beckman JA (eds). : Saunders/Elsevier; 2013

Anatomy, blood vessels. 2022. https://www.statpearls.com/point-of-care/32153 (accessed 31 July 2023)

Cardiac Nursing

The vascular system and associated disorders

17 August 2023

Clinical

02 August 2023

Volume 32 · Issue 15

ISSN (print): 0966-0461

ISSN (online): 2052-2819

Abstract

The vascular system, also called the circulatory system, is made up of the vessels that carry blood and lymph fluid through the body. The arteries and veins carry blood all over the body, sending oxygen and nutrients to the body tissues and taking away waste materials. This is a complex system in the body and can be affected by diseases with different pathogenic mechanisms. This article describes the pathophysiology of the main diseases of arteries and the venous system.

The heart is the principal organ that pumps blood around the body, and the vascular system transports the blood throughout the body. Arteries carry blood away from the heart and veins carry blood towards it. Blood flows through arteries and arterioles transporting oxygen, nutrients, and other substances essential for cellular metabolism and homeostatic regulation (Chaudhry and Maio, 2022). Veins and venules carry deoxygenated (oxygen-depleted) blood toward the heart. The exceptions to these are the pulmonary arteries (which carry deoxygenated blood) and the pulmonary veins (which carry oxygenated blood) (Blanchflower and Peate, 2021). Capillaries are tiny blood vessels that form a delicate network in close proximity to most parts of the body tissues and connect arterioles and venules. Their thin walls allow oxygen, nutrients, carbon dioxide and waste products to pass to and from tissue cells (Jarvis, 2018).

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting British Journal of Nursing and reading some of our peer-reviewed resources for nurses. To read more, please register today. You’ll enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included

Limited access to clinical or professional articles
Unlimited access to the latest news, blogs and video content

Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address

Pathophysiology

Vascular disease

Arterial disease

Venous disease

Atherosclerosis

Aneurysm