The Vascular Center
The Vascular Center at Fort Walton Beach Medical Center opened in the summer of 2004 providing the Tri-County area with its first comprehensive program for heightening the community's awareness, diagnosing and treating Peripheral Vascular Disease. Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) affects over 12 million Americans, 1 in 20 people over the age of 50 and as many as 1 in 5 over the age of 70. Many people dismiss the signs and symptoms of PVD as inevitable signs of aging, when in reality they may be signs and symptoms of different stages of PVD. Leg pains when walking, muscle cramping at night, and temperature/color changes of the leg should be concerning. Individuals with PVD are at a greater risk for heart attack, stroke, and loss of limb.
PVD refers to a disease of the blood vessels beyond the heart and brain where blood vessels, because of either functional or organic factors, begin to narrow. Functional factors are typically short-term and don't involve defects in blood vessels' structure. Organic Factors, however, can affect the structure of blood vessels and is commonly referred to as Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD).
Early diagnosis, improving risk factors, and early treatment can result in slowing the progression of the disease. The Vascular Center's programs focus on early detection through screening programs, behavioral modification to reduce the risks of acquiring and advancing the disease, and various treatment modalities. Today's technologically advanced surgical and interventional treatment options for PAD are available at Fort Walton Beach Medical Center. To enhance public awareness, The Vascular Center offers periodic seminars and screenings to the community to assist in evaluating individuals at risk for PAD.
Many individuals at risk for PVD are also at risk for another life-threatening condition called Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA). AAA is a weakening in the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body
- Services A-Z
- Acute Care Services
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- The Vascular Center
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