Vascular medicine focuses on the non-invasive diagnosis and treatment of all problems involving the circulatory system outside of the heart. These problems may involve:
- arteries, which deliver blood from the heart to the tissues
- veins, which deliver blood back to the heart
- lymphatic system, which transports lymph fluid back to the circulation
Commonly encountered conditions in the field of Vascular Medicine include:
- peripheral arterial disease / claudication - blockages in the leg arteries; may cause pain with walking
- carotid artery stenosis - blockages in the neck arteries; may lead to a stroke
- renal artery stenosis - blockages in the kidney arteries; may contribute to high blood pressure and/or chronic kidney disease
- abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) - a bulging of the aorta that may cause it to rupture
- venous problems such as deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and chronic venous insufficiency
- Raynaud’s, vasculitis, lymphedema, and other less common vascular conditions
History of Vascular Medicine at Johns Hopkins
Exciting and cutting-edge research in the field of vascular biology, the “science” of vascular medicine, has been underway for decades at Johns Hopkins. The Clinical Vascular Medicine Program in the Division of Cardiology was started in 2007. The Division recognizes the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of vascular disease, particularly because it is so often associated with heart disease and cerebrovascular disease.
Non-Invasive Diagnosis: Vascular Imaging
Vascular ultrasound remains the cornerstone for the non-invasive diagnosis of vascular disease. T he non-invasive vascular ultrasound laboratory offers a comprehensive range of vascular ultrasound services including:
- Non-Invasive Flow Studies (NIFS)
- Carotid ultrasound
- Abdominal aortic ultrasound
- Venous and arterial ultrasounds
Non-invasive vascular evaluations are available at Johns Hopkins Cardiology locations throughout the metropolitan Baltimore area including Green Spring Station, Timonium, Columbia, and Odenton.
