Baby Boomers Beware: More Americans Than Ever Before Now at Higher Risk for Common Blood Vessel Diseases

New survey reveals nearly one in three Americans at highest risk for blood vessel diseases and life-threatening complications report low awareness

Society for Vascular Surgery launches the Highway to Health campaign to help people maintain vascular health at every age

ROSEMONT, Ill., Oct. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new national survey released today by the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS), nearly one in three Americans at the highest risk for developing blood vessel (vascular) diseases have not heard of any of the most common conditions, like peripheral artery disease and carotid artery disease. This comes at a time when by 2030 more than 100 million people in the U.S. will be reaching an age associated with a high risk of vascular diseases, meaning more people than ever before may require care from a specialist yet a critical gap exists.

As one of the largest organ systems, the vascular system is like a network of highways, with vessels (veins, arteries, and capillaries) delivering oxygen and moving blood to every part of the body. Vascular conditions can slow circulation and impact the way the body functions. Signs and symptoms of vascular disease (such as pain or swelling in the legs, arms, and feet) can go unnoticed or unrecognized and cause serious or life-threatening complications if left untreated including heart attack, stroke, amputation, and even death.

Many people are familiar with heart doctors or brain surgeons, but 82% are not familiar with the specialty with the most comprehensive training for the treatment of vascular diseases – vascular surgeons [SVS Consumer Survey]. This lack of awareness is putting people at risk of mis- or underdiagnosis. To address this gap, SVS is launching a three-year patient education campaign, Highway to Health, to empower Americans to learn their SVS Strong Vessel Score and start a conversation with their doctor to see if a vascular surgeon could be a good addition to their overall care team.

"Surgery is only part of the story for vascular surgeons – a significant amount of the care we provide is dedicated to prevention, screening, and ongoing medication management of vascular diseases," said Matthew Eagleton, MD, DFSVS, Society for Vascular Surgery President. "We encourage the millions of people in the U.S. who are at the highest risk for vascular disease to talk with their doctor and ask if seeing a vascular surgeon is right for them."

To increase awareness of vascular health and vascular disease prevention, SVS released the Highway to Health patient education toolkit which includes videos, checklists and interactive elements and can be found at YourVascularHealth.org.

Maintaining vascular health at every age supports overall health, quality of life, and longevity, yet more than seven in 10 doctors haven't talked to their patients over the age of 50 about their risk for vascular disease, or their Strong Vessel Score [SVS Consumer Survey]. Risk factors for vascular disease include having diabetes, use or history of tobacco products, high cholesterol, and/or high blood pressure. The SVS Strong Vessel Score offers patients a way to share information with their doctor about risk factors and family history to help benchmark and start a conversation about their vascular health.

"My guiding mission as a vascular surgeon is to improve the quality of life for my patients with the highest quality, expert care. You see vascular surgeons in lots of different settings from the ER trauma center to helping patients prevent vascular disease at every age," said William Shutze, MD, DFSVS, Texas Vascular Associates and Society for Vascular Surgery Secretary. "We are on the front lines of treating patients with a wide array of vascular conditions, from prevention and screening to medical management and surgery – we are here to care of patients across the continuum."

Key Survey Highlights

• Nearly 1 in 3 (29%) Americans have not heard of any of the most common vascular diseases, like peripheral artery disease, carotid artery disease, or abdominal aortic aneurysm.
• More than 1 in 3 (36%) of current tobacco users and more than half (56%) of former tobacco users have never had their provider talk to them about their vascular disease risk.
• More than 8 in 10 (85%) people are not familiar with the role of vascular surgeons.
• Less than half (46%) of people would opt to see a vascular surgeon for symptoms related to their blood vessels, such as leg swelling or pain or difficulty walking.

About the Survey

SVS fielded a survey among a general population that included 1,000 responses from a nationally representative sample over the age of 18 to gather insight into the awareness and perception of vascular disease and vascular health. The confidence level for the survey is 95% with a margin of error of ±3.1.

About Highway to Health

Developed by SVS, the Highway to Health campaign aims to educate and raise awareness about the symptoms and risk factors associated with vascular disease as most underestimate their risk, leaving them vulnerable to serious health consequences including heart attack, stroke, amputation, and even death. We urge people to get checked out when in doubt and ask their doctor if seeing a vascular surgeon is right for them.

About SVS

The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) seeks to advance excellence and innovation in vascular health through education, advocacy, research, and public awareness. The organization was founded in 1946 and currently has a membership of more than 6,300. SVS membership is recognized in the vascular community as a mark of professional achievement.