Peripheral Vascular Disease

The information contained in this website is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment, and TICR recommends consultation with your doctor or other health care professional if you have worries about your cardiovascular health.

Vascular Physicians study the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of peripheral vascular disease (PVD). PVD is the blanket term for disease of the peripheral arteries (Peripheral arterial disease, PAD – see under patient information), disease of the veins (venous disease), disease of the lymphatics (vessels carrying lymph, a drainage system), and disease of the microcirculation (small blood vessels eg capillaries) which includes such conditions such as Raynaud’s Phenomenon (see under patient information), chilblains, connective tissue disorders, and Hand Arm Vibration disease.

The Vascular Diseases Research Unit was founded in 1987 to address these conditions where it is, even now, still acknowledges that these patients are under-diagnosed and under-treated.

This Unit has, over the 30 years:

  • Carried out more than 50 single centre biomarkers trials discovering new blood markers for PVD
  • Led  more than 30 International multicentre clinical trials of new treatments for PVD
  • Received Peer reviewed grant funding amounting to circa £34M
  • Published over 350 publications in peer reviewed Scientific Journals
  • Given over 100 plenary/invited lectures within the UK, and over 150 internationally
  • Successfully supervised 28 PhD, MD, MSc students

Information about diseases studied:

PAD is where there is blockages of the major arteries supplying the legs, leading to amputation, shown in the radiology picture above.

PAD is where there is blockages of the major arteries supplying the legs, leading to amputation

PAD is where there is blockages of the major arteries supplying the legs, leading to amputation
Raynaud’s is where spasm of the blood vessels causes cold, white painful hands.

Raynaud’s is where spasm of the blood vessels causes cold, white painful hands.
Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome occurs after exposure to vibrating machines, such as road drills.

Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome occurs after exposure to vibrating machines, such as road drills.

Connective Tissue Disorders include such diseases as Systemic Sclerosis (shown below) where the skin becomes scarred and tight and Raynaud’s is severe).

Connective Tissue Disorders include such diseases as Systemic Sclerosis (shown below) where the skin becomes scarred and tight and Raynaud’s is severe).