Vascular medicine

Vascular medicine, also known as angiology, is the medical specialty which studies the diseases of the circulatory system and of the lymphatic system, i.e. arteries, veins, and lymphatic vessels, and its diseases.

Overview
Arterial diseases include the aorta and arteries supplying the legs, hands, kidneys, brain, and intestines. It also covers arterial thrombosis and embolism, vasculitides, and vasospastic disorders. Naturally, it deals with preventing cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack and stroke. Venous diseases include invenous thrombosis, chronic venous insufficiency, and varicose veins. Lymphatic diseases include primary and secondary forms of lymphedema. It also involves modification of risk factors for vascular diseases like high cholesterol or high blood pressure.

Cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and others fall under the specialty of vascular medicine. Hence, a vascular medicine specialist should be able to address most of the major diseases in our age in a comprehensive manner, using a unique perspective.

Training
In the United States, there are several independent vascular medicine training programs and twelve NIH funded three-year programs as well. These programs are suitable for either Internal medicine specialists as a fellowship or for cardiologists.