Disorders of vascular fragility: implications for active patients.

Circulatory vessels are subject to diverse pathologic processes that depend on the properties of the vessels. Vascular problems such as dilatation, dissection, and rupture can occur as a result of many disorders. Conditions that affect vessels include inherited disorders such as Marfan syndrome and the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes and poorly understood congenital disorders such as arteriovenous malformations and capillary fragility. Depending on which condition patients have, they must be given proper counseling about activity and options for management. For some patients, strenuous exercise, pregnancy, and competitive sports are prohibited, but for others with milder disorders, participation in selected sports is permitted.