Non-Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

Abstract

Non-atherosclerotic vascular disease encompasses a wide range of diseases which can affect all and any blood vessel throughout the body. Non-atherosclerotic vascular disease or vasculitis is caused by inflammatory damage and destruction of blood vessels. This ultimately leads to cell infiltration with inflammatory modulators which cause swelling and impaired vessel wall function. Over time this compromises vessel patency and integrity and can cause ischemia, necrosis, and bleeding. Classification of vasculitis is broadly based on etiology; primary vasculitis is due to inflammation of unknown cause or secondary vasculitis which is inflammation due to disease or drug exposure. Of note there are several disorders which mimic vasculitis and cause damage to blood vessels via similar inflammatory and fibrosis pathways. This chapter will discuss systemic vasculitis (large, medium, and small vessel disease), radiation induced arterial disease, adventitial cystic disease, popliteal entrapment syndrome, iliac artery endofibrosis, and congenital diseases.