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giatroi Prevention

Risk factors & signs

The factors which increase the risk for developing certain vascular conditions (risk factors) and the signs and symptoms which may be a warning about their presence and should not be ignored (warning signs) are listed here.

Stroke or Cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
Risk factors

  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • Diabetes
  • Smoking
  • Dyslipidaemia (high cholesterol)
  • Family history of stroke

Warning signs

  • Sudden numbness or weakness of one side of the body (face, limbs)
  • Sudden trouble speaking or understanding
  • Sudden confusion
  • Sudden trouble seeing
  • Sudden loss of balance or coordination, dizziness
  • Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)
Risk factors

  • Smoking
  • Male gender
  • Family history of AAA
  • Age over 60 years
  • Arterial disease at other sites (coronary, peripheral)

Warning signs

  • Pain in the abdomen or back
  • Feeling of heartbeats (or a swelling with pulsations) in the abdomen
  • Appearance of areas of bluish discolouration in the feet, as a result of atheroembolism
Peripheral occlusive arterial disease (POAD)
Risk factors

  • Smoking
  • Diabetes
  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • Dyslipidaemia (high cholesterol)
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Obesity
  • Family history of POAD

Warning signs

  • Pain in the legs, usually the calves, when you walk
  • Slow healing of a wound in the leg or foot
  • Burning sensation or pain in the toes at rest

 Last modified 22/02/2014