Foreword; Preface; Acknowledgements; Contents; Contributors; 1: How to Make Decisions in Healthcare?; Clinical Question and Study Design; Evidence-Based Healthcare and Systematic Reviews; Harms, Not Just Efficacy; How to Make Decisions in Healthcare; References; 2: Anatomical Principles of the Circulatory System; Introduction; The Cardiovascular System; The Heart; Vessels' Wall: The Endothelium; Coronary Irrigation; The Arterial System; Aorta and Its Branches; Cervical and Intracranial Irrigation; Thorax and Upper Limb; Lower Limb; The Venous System; Cervical and Intracranial.

Differential Diagnosis Treatment; Endovasculartherapy; Conventional Open Surgery; Complications; Syndrome of Reperfusion; References; 7: Cerebrovascular Disease; Concept; Epidemiology; Clinical Presentation; Natural History; Diagnosis; Treatment; Medical Treatment; Surgical Treatment; What Generalist Doctor Can Do for This Patient?; When Is the Time to Refer to Specialist?; References; 8: Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms; Concept; Epidemiology; Clinical Presentation; Image Exams; Abdominal Ultrasonography; Angiotomography; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Screening Program.

Thorax and Upper Limb Lower Limb; The Lymphatic System; Lymphatic Vessels; Lymphoid Organs; References; 3: Atherosclerosis; Introduction; Epidemiology; Pathophysiology; Cerebrovascular Disease; Coronary Artery Disease; Peripheral Artery Disease; Reno-Vascular Atherosclerosis; Diagnosis; Determining the Presence of Significant Atherosclerotic Disease or Its Equivalent; Ankle-Brachial Index; Carotid Ultrasonography; Femoral Ultrasonography; Electron-Beam Computed Tomography; Pressures and Pulse-Volume Recordings; Others Cardiovascular Methods of Evaluation.

Utilization of Risk Stratification Scores Treatment; General Practitioner's Role; Medical Specialist Evaluation; References; 4: Hemostasis and Anticoagulation Therapy; Introduction; Primary Hemostasis; Endothelium; Platelets; Platelet Adhesion; Platelet Activation; Platelet Aggregation; Secondary Hemostasis; Coagulation; The Initiation Phase; The Amplification Phase; The Propagation Phase; Fibrinolysis; Anticoagulant Treatment; Parenteral Anticoagulants; Unfractionated Heparin; Low Molecular Weight Heparins; Fondaparinux; Direct Thrombin Inhibitors; Oral Anticoagulants.

Vitamin K Antagonists Warfarin; Acenocoumarol; New Oral Anticoagulants; Dabigatran; Rivaroxaban; Apixaban; Edoxaban; References; 5: Peripheral Artery Disease; Introduction; Epidemiology; Natural History and Clinical Presentation; Asymptomatic; Intermittent Claudication; Critical Limb Ischemia; Diagnosis; Treatment; Risk Factors Control; Treatment of Intermittent Claudication; Treatment of Critical Limb Ischemia; References; 6: Acute Limb Ischemia; Introduction; Arterial Thrombosis; Arterial Embolism; Epidemiology; Clinical Presentation; Diagnosis.

This book aims to provide non-specialist healthcare practitioners with current, focused and objective information on the most common vascular diseases encountered in daily clinical practice. In day-to-day clinical practice many healthcare practitioners do not have a working knowledge of the most common vascular diseases that frequently arise in patient care. Some of these topics include: aneurysms, peripheral arterial disease, diabetic foot, venous thromboembolism, cerebrovascular disease, aortic dissection, and acute limb ischemia. These commonly encountered vascular diseases are becoming public health issues due to their high morbidity and mortality as well as increasing healthcare costs. Since patients with vascular diseases are often referred to non-specialists, the general practitioner must know how to proper handle the most common vascular diseases encountered in daily clinical practice. For each disease the concept, epidemiology, natural history, diagnosis and treatment are described, followed by essential advice on what the non-specialist can do for the patient and when to refer the patient to a specialist.