“The Vascular Surgery service at Clinica Ricardo Palma  offers several tests for the diagnosis and control of venous insufficiency such as: venous plethysmography and venous Echo Doppler. In addition to conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the patient, we also provide guidance to their family members regarding the different treatments we have to fight this condition”, highlights Dr. Raúl Panizo, a prominent cardiovascular surgeon at our clinic.

What is venous insufficiency?

It is a long-term condition commonly due to the malfunction of the valves in the veins. Normally, the valves in the deep veins in the leg keep the blood flowing back to the heart. When venous insufficiency occurs for a long time, the walls of the veins weaken and the valves are damaged. This causes the veins to remain full of blood, especially when the person is standing.

Some risk factors can be:

Age, family history of venous insufficiency (varicose veins), female gender (due to hormonal levels), obesity, sedentary lifestyle, pregnancy, constipation, standing for a long time and in very hot places.

What are its symptoms?

• Leg pain, heaviness, and cramps, usually at night
• Itching and tingling
• Discomfort that increases when standing and improves when lying down or walking
• Swelling of the ankles and feet
• In advanced cases, trophic changes occur, the skin darkens and wounds form at the ankles.
• Varicose dilations

In order to prevent venous insufficiency, the specialist recommends:

• Eat a healthy diet and maintain an ideal weight
• Avoid constipation problems
• Maintain good physical activity. Go for a walk, exercise
• Avoid sedentary lifestyle (standing or sitting for a long time)
• Wear special elastic stockings

It should be noted that there are many types of venous insufficiency and it depends on many factors, from the age of onset of the condition to the severity of the symptoms.

Dr. Raúl Panizo
Cardiovascular surgeon at Clinica Ricardo Palma