US President Donald Trump has recently been diagnosed with a benign condition known as chronic venous insufficiency, after examining swelling in the legs and bruises. The official statement of the White House spokesman Carolina Levito showed that the president has suffered 79 years from the condition because of the constant “arms” and the use of “aspirin” (within the framework of preventive health). She also said that all his reports were “within normal limits”, and he had “ordinary cardiac structure and functions, no signs of heart failure, kidney disorders or systemic disease.”But what is chronic venous insufficiency and what symptoms it causes? We’ll see …What is chronic venous insufficiencyChronic venous insufficiency occurs when the veins of your feet cannot properly pump blood back to the heart. The normal functioning of your veins depends on the tiny valves that act as unilateral checkpoints to direct the bleeding to your heart. In case the valves in your veins are weak or damaged, the blood can go back and accumulate in your feet. As a result, an increase in venous pressure leads to the manifestation of uncomfortable symptoms.As you know, the condition affects the veins of the legs and rarely other parts of the body. Sometimes it is called “chronic venous stagnation” or “chronic venous disease”.
Why is CVI goingThere are different factors that can cause your vein fault:Damage Veen valves: Past blood clots or injuries have caused damage to the valves of your veins.Aging: Venus and their valves weaken with age.Standing or sitting for a long period: it can increase pressure in the veins of the legs.Obesity, pregnancy and genetics: they increase the chances of CVI development.Other risk factors: smoking, lack of movement or exercise and family history.Common symptoms that need to be monitoredThe initial signs of chronic venous insufficiency can be insignificant, but if not treated, they can lead to more serious complications. Common symptoms include:Swelling in the legs or anklesAching, tired or heavy feeling in the legsItching or tingling in the lower legsThe pain that worsens when you stand but improves when you lift your feetVaricose veins: Big, twisted blue or purple veins near the skin surfaceSkin changes:Red, brown or discoloration skin near the anklesThickened or hardened leather (similar to skin)Cracked, peel off or irritated skinFeet ulcers: ulcers near the ankles that are slowly healedMuscle seizures or spasmsRestless feet, especially at nightSymptoms can be soft at the beginning, but they usually deteriorate over time. Ulcers or open ulcers are particularly difficult to cure and therefore require medical care.Types and stages of chronic venous insufficiencyDoctors often share CVI into categories or stages for treatment planning. CEAP classification is one of the commonly used methods of classification of veins and is the abbreviation of clinical, etiological, anatomical and pathophysiological.
Treatment: What you can doThe condition of chronic venous insufficiency is chronic and not reversible, but they can be controlled by symptoms. Here’s what your doctor can recommend:Changes in lifestyleExercise: walking or regular leg movements, help pump blood back into the heart.Raise your legs: Raise your legs when you sit or lie to minimize swelling.Support a healthy weight: it reduces the pressure on the veins of the legs.Avoid standing or sitting too long: Moving often helps your vein work better. Your skin needs proper care by maintaining clean and moist legs to avoid ulcers and irritation.Compressing therapySpecial compression stockings are the most advantageous treatment option. Special stockings exert a delicate pressure on the feet, which helps blood movement up and reduce swelling. Your doctor will determine what type of compression stockings, as well as their certain force, suits you better.MedicineDoctors prescribe the following medicines to patients:Antibiotics: Antibiotics serve for the treatment of infections when patients develop ulcers on the legs.Blood thinners: blood thinning acts as a prevention for blood clots.Medical wraps: dressings that reduce swelling and ulcers.Medical procedures and surgeryThe next step after compression stockings and lifestyle changes include medical treatment procedures.Sclerotherapy involves the delivery of the target vein solution through the injection, which leads to its closure.Endovening Oblation: Use of lasers or radio waves to seal the defective veins.Venus Operation: Removal or repair severely damaged veins. Surgical intervention serves as a final treatment, and doctors perform it on very few patients.Life with chronic venous insufficiencyThe CVI condition remains life -threatening, but the symptoms deteriorate if not treated. Your ability to live with less complications such as painful ulcers and skin infections, is possible through early diagnosis and treatment.SourSigvaris: Cap ClassificationStanford Vascular Surgery: Guest Principles of VenusClinic Whitley: Explanation of Ceap pointsStatpearls (NCBI Book Book): CEAP and venous failureRefusal: This article is designed only for information purposes and is not a replacement for medical advice.
