MODERN APPROACH TO ACQUIRE BETTER KNOWLEDGE OF VASCULAR HEALTH AND DISEASE

Abstract

Problems with the blood vessels in the legs happen frequently and are a major subject in medical education. Knowing these conditions depends on studying both the function of blood vessels and clinical aspects. The goal was to design a course that integrated physiology and vascular surgery in order to study leg vascular physiology. The course makes use of tools from vascular medicine to observe physical changes seen in most vascular diseases. Using this approach encourages teamwork in discussing vascular problems, improves the ability to make diagnoses and relates directly to daily clinical practice in vascular medicine. The course features four experiments where events in the arterial and venous systems are investigated using oscillometry and venous occlusion plethysmography: 1) study of arterial pulse waves, 2) readings of arterial systolic blood pressure, 3) analysis of venous capacity and outflow and 4) insights into reactive hyperemia. Following the experiments, students have discussions about healthy blood vessels, related disorders, the effects these have on measured results and possible ways to identify them. To make replication simple, the details of the course design and experiments are reported thoroughly. Results from 74 students confirm that the experiments are effective and trustworthy in assessing important vascular indicators. Both students and their instructors have noticed clear progress in understanding how vascular physiology applies in clinical settings. This work offers teachers an easy to use guide for combining vascular physiology and vascular medicine in their teaching which inspires students and promotes stronger memory of learned subjects.