Other Venous Diseases

There are other acute and chronic diseases of the veins that can occur:

• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Chronic venous insufficiency
• Superficial thrombophlebitis (also called phlebitis)
• Varicose veins

Understanding The Causes of Venous Disease

If the walls of your veins become weak or damaged, the system by which veins return blood to the heart can become compromised and blood begins flow in a backwards direction when the muscles relax, a circumstance called reflux. This creates unusually high pressures in the veins, resulting in their stretching and twisting, increasing limb swelling, causing sluggish blood flow and the potential blood clot formation. 

Over time, this phenomena contributes to a variety of other disorders known as chronic venous disease, which includes varicose veins, spider veins, and reticular veins, but can also include swelling, deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or “blood clots in the deep veins”, superficial phlebitis, and chronic venous insufficiency (chronically swollen or edematous legs). 

Risk Factors of Venous Disease
 

Certain risk factors may lead to the development of venous disease. These include:

• Family history
• Obesity
• Pregnancy
• Prolonged standing
• Prior episodes of blood clot formation or DVT
• Trauma
• Illness
• Certain medications