In today’s newsletter, we’re going to talk about the vascular system — your arteries and veins. Unlike our discussion of the heart, which required a great deal of anatomy, our discussion of anatomy today will be much simpler. As I’ve stated previously, my goal in this series is not to make you doctors, but to help you understand enough about your body’s systems and how they work so that you can communicate with your doctor and actively participate in your treatment. If you have high blood pressure, blood clots, or atherosclerosis, it’s imperative that you fully understand how that happened, the physiological consequences of any medical treatments, and any viable alternatives that might be available to you.