There are several types of vascular disease, (which is a subgroup of cardiovascular disease), the signs and symptoms depend on which type, among them are:^[5]

• Erythromelalgia - a rare peripheral vascular disease where syndromes includes burning pain, increased temperature, erythema and swelling, of mainly the hands and feet are affected.
   

  Erythromelalgia in a 77-year-old woman
  ^[6]
• Peripheral artery disease – happens when atheromatous plaques build up in the arteries that supply blood to the arms and legs, plaque causes the arteries to narrow or become blocked.^[1]
• Renal artery stenosis - is the narrowing of renal arteries that carry blood to the kidneys from the aorta.^[2]
• Buerger's disease – is due to small blood vessels that inflame and swell, vessels then narrow or are blocked by blood clots.^[7]
• Raynaud's disease – a rare peripheral vascular disorder of constriction of the peripheral blood vessels, in the fingers and toes when the person is cold.^[8]
• Disseminated intravascular coagulation – a widespread activation of clotting in the smaller blood vessels.^[9]
• Cerebrovascular disease–a group of vascular diseases that affect brain function.^{[citation needed]}

Vascular disease is a pathological state of large and medium muscular arteries and is triggered by endothelial cell dysfunction.^[10] Because of factors like pathogens, oxidized LDL particles and other inflammatory stimuli endothelial cells become active.^[11] The process causes thickening of the vessel wall, forming a plaque that consists of proliferating smooth muscle cells, macrophages and lymphocytes.^[12][13] The plaque results in a restricted blood flow which will decrease the amount of oxygen and nutrients that reach certain organs,^[14] the plaque might rupture causing the formation of clots.^{[citation needed]}

It can be difficult to make a vascular disease diagnosis since there are a variety of symptoms that a person can have, also family history and a physical examination are important. The physical exam may be different depending on the type of vascular disease. In the case of a peripheral vascular disease the physical exam consists in checking the blood flow in the legs.^[15][16]

Treatment varies with the type of vascular disease; in the case of renal artery disease, information from a meta-analysis indicated that balloon angioplasty results in improvement of diastolic blood pressure and a reduction in antihypertensive drug requirements.^[17] In the case of peripheral artery disease, preventing complications is important; without treatment, sores or gangrene (tissue death) may occur. Among the treatments are:^[4]

• Quitting smoking
• Lowering cholesterol
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower blood glucose
• Physical activity

• "The effects of lowering LDL cholesterol with statin therapy in people at low risk of vascular disease: meta-analysis of individual data from 27 randomised trials". www.crd.york.ac.uk. Retrieved 2015-06-23.