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Vascular and circulatory conditions

356 articles

Diagnosis and imaging of hemorrhagic stroke

Diagnosis and imaging of hemorrhagic stroke uses non-contrast CT as the first-line test to confirm bleeding, followed by CTA spot sign, MRI, and lumbar puncture to find underlying causes.

Disorders of orthostatic tolerance

Disorders of orthostatic tolerance (ICD-11 8D89): conditions causing symptomatic hypotension on standing, including reflex syncope, autonomic-failure syncope, POTS, and baroreflex failure.

Dissection of cerebral arteries

Dissection of cerebral arteries (ICD-11 8B22.0) is a hematoma within an intracranial artery wall, causing ischemic stroke or subarachnoid hemorrhage; rare, mostly in young adults, diagnosed by imaging, treated with antithrombotics or endovascular or surgical occlusion.

Drug-induced hypertension

Drug-induced hypertension is high blood pressure caused by medicines and substances ranging from NSAIDs and decongestants to corticosteroids and licorice, often reversible by discontinuing the offending agent.

Drug-induced hypotension

Drug-induced hypotension is low blood pressure caused by a medication, arising through reduced sympathetic activity, vasodilation, or diuresis; a 2025 review identified more than 250 implicated drugs.

Drug-induced vasculitis

Drug-induced vasculitis (DIV), also called medicament-induced vasculitis, is secondary blood vessel inflammation caused by drugs such as hydralazine, propylthiouracil, minocycline, and levamisole-adulterated cocaine; about 3% of vasculitides, usually small-vessel and skin-limited, treated by drug withdrawal.

Dural arteriovenous fistula

A dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF) is an abnormal artery-to-vein connection in the dura mater covering the brain or spinal cord, most common around age 50 to 60.

Eclampsia

Eclampsia in pregnancy: new-onset unexplained seizures in a woman with pre-eclampsia, occurring before, during, or after delivery. Treated with magnesium sulfate plus antihypertensives; prevented by low-dose aspirin and calcium.

Eclampsia in the puerperium

Eclampsia in the puerperium (postpartum eclampsia, ICD-11 JA25.2): grand mal seizures from hypertensive disorder of pregnancy after delivery, up to 6 weeks postpartum; treated with magnesium sulfate; 21-40% of eclampsia cases.

Edema

Edema (oedema, dropsy) is soft-tissue swelling from excess interstitial fluid, caused by raised capillary pressure, low plasma oncotic pressure, capillary leak, or lymphatic obstruction; common causes are heart, liver, and kidney disease, DVT, and medications.

Edoxaban

Edoxaban is a direct oral factor Xa inhibitor anticoagulant developed by Daiichi Sankyo, marketed as Lixiana and Savaysa, used to prevent stroke in atrial fibrillation.

Embolic stroke of undetermined source

Embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS), a 2014-defined subset of cryptogenic ischemic stroke: non-lacunar, embolic-appearing, no atrial fibrillation, no ≥50% stenosis, no cardioembolic source after workup; anticoagulation trials failed.

Embolism

Embolism: sudden vessel blockage by a detached mass (embolus), a term coined by Virchow. Most common form is pulmonary embolism from deep vein thrombosis; other types include fat, air, tumor, and amniotic fluid emboli.

Embolus

Embolus: material (usually a thrombus fragment, also fat, air, tumor, amniotic fluid, septic matter) traveling in blood and blocking a vessel; Virchow coined the term in the 1850s; pulmonary embolism is the most common form.

Endovascular aneurysm repair

Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), also called stent-graft repair including TEVAR and fenestrated/branched EVAR, treats aortic aneurysms via femoral access; lower perioperative mortality than open repair but higher reintervention, endoleak, and lifelong surveillance.

Endovascular thrombectomy for ischemic stroke

Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), or mechanical thrombectomy, removes clots causing large vessel occlusion ischemic stroke via catheter devices (stent retriever or aspiration). Established by 2015 trials; 2026 AHA/ASA guideline extends windows and eligibility.

Enoxaparin sodium

Enoxaparin sodium (Lovenox, Clexane; Sanofi) is a low-molecular-weight heparin anticoagulant made by controlled depolymerization of heparin, US-approved 1993, used for DVT prophylaxis and treatment and acute coronary syndromes, with renal dose adjustment and a spinal hematoma boxed warning.

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, formerly known as Churg-Strauss syndrome, is a rare ANCA-associated vasculitis first reported in 1951, defined by asthma, eosinophilia, and necrotizing inflammation of small and medium blood vessels.

Epidemiology of stroke

The epidemiology of stroke is the study of how stroke is distributed across populations; in 2021 it caused 11.9 million new strokes and 7.3 million deaths.

Erythema elevatum diutinum

Erythema elevatum diutinum (EED), a rare chronic leukocytoclastic small-vessel vasculitis among neutrophilic dermatoses; red-brown nodules on extensor surfaces, linked to HIV, IgA gammopathy, and autoimmune disease; treated with dapsone.

Erythromelalgia

Erythromelalgia, also called Mitchell's disease or erythermalgia, is a rare disorder of burning pain, redness, and heat in the extremities, relieved by cooling. Primary forms involve SCN9A/Nav1.7 mutations; secondary forms follow myeloproliferative and autoimmune disease; aspirin helps myeloproliferative cases.

ESCAPE trial (NCT01778335)

ESCAPE (NCT01778335), a 2015 randomized trial of endovascular thrombectomy for proximal large-vessel ischemic stroke, enrolled 316 patients and showed 53% vs 29.3% functional independence at 90 days.

Essential hypertension

Essential hypertension, also called primary hypertension, is high blood pressure with no identifiable secondary cause, about 90–95% of cases; managed with lifestyle change and drugs to below 130/80 mm Hg.

Familial abdominal aortic aneurysm

Familial abdominal aortic aneurysm is a form of aortic aneurysm that runs in families, affecting people with an affected parent, sibling, or child; it tends to rupture more often.

Familial hypercholesterolemia

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an inherited disorder causing very high LDL cholesterol from birth and premature heart disease, mainly from LDLR, APOB, PCSK9, or APOE variants; affects about 1 in 311 people and is treated with statins and cascade screening.

Familial thoracic aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection

Familial thoracic aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection (FTAAD), also called nonsyndromic heritable thoracic aortic disease, is an autosomal dominant predisposition to aortic aneurysm and dissection involving 11 validated genes including ACTA2, TGFBR2, and MYH11, with reduced penetrance and first-degree relative screening recommended.

FAST (stroke)

FAST (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) is a mnemonic teaching laypeople to spot stroke signs and call an ambulance, developed in 1998 in Newcastle and extended as BE-FAST.

Fat embolism syndrome

Fat embolism syndrome (FES): fat globules entering the circulation after long-bone fractures, orthopedic surgery, or cosmetic fat procedures, causing the triad of hypoxia, neurological dysfunction, and petechial rash 24–72 hours after injury; diagnosis by Gurd criteria, supportive care.

Fenoldopam

Fenoldopam, sold as Corlopam and known as SKF 82526, is a short-acting benzazepine drug given by intravenous infusion in hospitals to rapidly lower severe high blood pressure while preserving kidney blood flow.

Flushing (physiology)

Flushing, also called skin flushing or facial flushing, is a transient reddening of the skin, usually the face and neck, caused by increased blood flow and a feeling of warmth.