Tiny highways to your heart
Your blood vessels are tiny highways within your body – they are your veins and arteries carrying the oxygen-rich blood all over your circulatory system and back again to your heart. If your blood doesn’t flow smoothly, your body can’t work correctly. When a condition such as hardening of arteries occurs, it cause your blood “stop up” or “jam,” causing problems. The good news is often many vascular problems can be treated with medication or exercise. Some require surgery, and if that’s the case, we’re here to help.
Our high tech vascular care services at Baptist Medical Center South provides patients a continuum of care not offered anywhere else in central Alabama. We offer a full array of state-of-the-art invasive and noninvasive procedures, both diagnostic and therapeutic.
What are common vascular procedures?
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm — When the wall of a blood vessel weakens, a dilation called an aneurysm can develop.
- Carotid Artery Disease — If too much plaque builds up in your carotid artery, it can cause the artery to narrow.
- Dialysis Access — If your kidneys fail, unless and until you have a successful kidney transplant, you will need dialysis.
- Peripheral Artery Disease — PAD is a chronic disease in which plaque builds up in the arteries of the legs.
- Varicose Veins — Varicose veins are enlarged veins that are visible through the skin.
Recovery
At Baptist Health, we are committed to not only ensuring successful cardiovascular surgeries but also rehabilitating you to full health after surgery. The Cardiac Rehabilitation Program of Baptist Medical Center South has met the Guidelines for Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation and been awarded certification through the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. For more information about Cardiac Rehabilitation, call (334) 286-3410.