‘Take Care of Your Arteries and Control Vascular Risk’ Programme

Arteries are vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to our organs. Their slow, progressive obstruction is known as arteriosclerosis, a process that begins while young and is ultimately responsible for cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death in industrialised countries. Any complications will depend on where and how much the arteries are obstructed. A blocked artery supplying the brain can cause a stroke or dementia of vascular origin, while obstructed heart arteries can trigger angina pectoris or myocardial infarctions, and an obstruction in the leg arteries may produce intermittent claudication or peripheral arterial ischaemia. A blocked aortic artery can lead to aneurysms.

This programme is designed to evaluate the state of our arteries through ultrasound scans in a range of vascular territories and, if necessary, CT angiography. It also includes an exhaustive study of vascular risk factors by performing blood tests, body composition studies, and identifying hidden arterial hypertension.

The programme has been developed by a multidisciplinary team led by an internist specialising in vascular risk and a vascular medicine and radiology consultant, all with the support of a dietitian and, if necessary, an expert in exercise and physical activity. Once the degree of vascular damage and the possible reasons for it have been assessed, a personalised treatment plan will be drawn up with a view to reducing the progression of arteriosclerosis and the future risk of vascular complications.

In general, this programme is for anybody aged over 40 who wishes to know their vascular risk factors and the degree of damage to their arteries, in order to reduce their future risk of vascular complications and cognitive impairment. More specifically, it is for anybody who is currently at risk of suffering future vascular complications (e.g. obesity, sedentary lifestyles, work stress, diabetes, smokers, hypertensive patients or people with high cholesterol levels), has close relatives with a history of vascular disorders (stroke, heart attacks, poor blood flow to the legs, etc.), or has already suffered one of these complications and wishes to avoid new complications in the future.