Understanding the words and phrases used by vascular health professionals is an important part of inclusive care. When patients and members of the public are involved in the design and oversight of vascular research, it is equally important that there is a shared understanding of the language used by health professionals to describe conditions and potential complications.
Some commonly used terms and their meanings can be found below to help you navigate the conversation or written information provided to you.
Important: It's completely fine to ask for an explanation if a healthcare professional or researcher uses words that are unfamiliar to you! If you are struggling to make sense of information, it's very likely that other people are as well. Asking a question can help to make things more clear for everyone.