Your blood vessels are a vast network of arteries and veins which carry vital blood throughout your body and then return it to the heart for re-oxygenation. Your vein surgeon diagnoses and treats various acute and chronic conditions, including injuries, which can impact your circulation.
Let’s take a look into the blood vessels in your body and their functions and where you can go for outstanding vein treatment in St. Petersburg, Palm Harbor, and Largo, FL.
Types of Blood Vessels
Your circulatory system is so complex that it courses miles and miles through intricate pathways in your body. The blood which moves through this network brings oxygen-rich blood and nutrients via arteries and smaller arterioles to organs like kidneys, skin, brain, and more. Once depleted, the blood returns to the heart via different blood vessels called veins and venules. Connecting the smallest of arteries and veins are capillaries.
Perhaps most familiar to the general public is the blood vessel called the aorta, the large artery which pumps oxygenated blood away from the left side of the heart. It is commonly known as the vena cava. It returns oxygen-poor blood from the upper part of your body (including the head and neck) and the lower extremities (including the abdomen and legs) to the heart.
Even the smallest of arteries and veins are composed of three layers. In arteries, the elastic layer is strongest as it forces the blood around the body at an amazing velocity. Veins are unique in that they possess small check valves which keep blood flowing in one direction only.
Functions of Blood Vessels
In general, the blood vessels get the blood where it needs to go. Metabolic processes, such as digestion and movement, could not happen without the glucose, nutrients, and oxygen your blood vessels carry.
But, did you know that your blood vessels play an important role in other bodily functions? These include:
- Filtration of waste material in the blood through the urinary tract and kidneys
- Respiration, including the removal of carbon dioxide from various parts of the body and concluding with expiration through the lungs
- Temperature regulation as key nutrients circulate through blood vessels to various parts of the body where they are used to heal and to create energy
Conditions Affecting the Blood Vessels
Sadly, the circulatory system is prone to disease, injury, and malformation. One of the most common problems in the United States is hypertension or high blood pressure. Others are:
- Coronary artery disease in the heart
- Stroke
- Peripheral artery disease and chronic vein insufficiency (including varicose veins) in the lower extremities
- Deep vein thrombosis (blood clots in the legs)
- Erectile dysfunction in males
- Vasculitis, or blood vessel inflammation
- A variety of malformations, both acquired and congenital, including May-Thurner syndrome, renal stenosis, and heart valve problems
The Premier Vein Surgeon in Tampa, FL
If you are looking for compassionate vein care, you can trust the expertise and experience of the board-certified vascular surgeon, Dr. Edward Mackay of Edward G. Mackay and Associates.
Our facility can help you achieve optimal vascular health and function. Besides non-invasive treatments, we offer laser therapy, radiofrequency ablation, vein stripping, microphlebectomy, VenaSeal, and more. Dr. Mackay has years of experience in vein care, and he is double-certified in general and vascular surgery.
To arrange your consultation, call us today at (727) 349-5652, or request a convenient appointment time by filling in our online request form.
