mnemosyne

I'm so sorry about your husband, and I'm stunned that none of his doctors would talk to you about the disease. That really shocks me. If any of his doctors is also your doctor... I might think about changing physicians to find someone willing to explain a diagnosis to you.

Small vessel disease is a disorder of the circulatory system where the smallest arteries (arterioles) gradually form the veins (venules), and is related to atherosclerosis (fatty deposits on the walls of the arteries), high blood pressure, disorders of the muscles affecting the arterial walls, which cause them to open or close too much. Essentially, the blood flow in the small vessels was restricted. Smoking, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure are all associated with small vessel disease, but it’s possible that there are other factors – genetic components, etc. – that cause some people with these problems to get small vessel disease (esp. cerebral small vessel disease) when other people with the same risk factors don’t have the same problem.

The lack of enough oxygen to the deep structures of the brain can result in many of the changes you describe in your husband. Small vessel disease is also associated with mini-strokes, which can affect the white matter and also result in the symptoms you describe, and with major strokes.

I think that there are some treatments available, maybe when it is caught early and depending on the specific type of small vessel disease he had, but the most important one is controlling the risk factors: smoking, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. If you have children or grandchildren (or brothers and sisters or brothers-in-law or sisters-in-law, etc.) and want to help them understand your husband’s death, it’s also a good ‘teaching tool’ about the importance of managing risk factors like these early and well.

Again, I’m so sorry about your husband. I hope this helped.