What is chronic venous insufficiency? Cardiologist shares perspective on President Trump’s diagnosis
President Donald Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency. He underwent a complete evaluation due to swelling in his legs, the White House announced, and is in “excellent health” otherwise.
Sean P. Barbabella, DO, the official physician to the president, sent a memo highlighting his findings.
“The president underwent a comprehensive examination, including diagnostic vascular studies,” according to the memo. “Bilateral lower extremity venous Doppler ultrasounds were performed and received chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70. Importantly, there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease.”
The memo emphasized that Trump underwent several additional tests to learn more about his cardiovascular health.
“An echocardiogram was also performed and confirmed normal cardiac structure and function,” according to the memo. “No signs of heart failure, renal impairment or systemic illness were identified.”
On its own, this diagnosis is not seen as a sign of any larger health issues. Trump just turned 79 years old in June.
Additional details about chronic venous insufficiency
Chronic venous insufficiency occurs when the veins in a patient’s legs are not working properly, impacting how blood flows through the body. It has been estimated that more than 25 million U.S. adults are actively battling this condition.
The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) recently shared updated clinical practice guidelines on the diagnosis and management of chronic venous disease. The guidelines, published in full in JSCAI, highlight practice recommendations for a wide range of symptom presentations.[1] One of the group’s biggest takeaways was that the early symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency are not necessarily a reason to be seriously concerned.
“Chronic venous insufficiency is a common disorder that is more prevalent as we age,” Eric Secemsky, MD, an interventional cardiologist and director of vascular intervention with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and co-chair of SCAI Vascular Disease Council, told Cardiovascular Business. “The most common symptoms are ankle and leg swelling, which is typically worse as the day progresses and improved in the morning after sleep. This swelling can be a cause of discomfort and cosmetically unappealing, but is generally benign. The first-line therapy is compression stockings.”
When the symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency do escalate, ablation or other treatments may be considered. For now, however, there is no reason to think that will be necessary.
For more context, read the full SCAI guidelines here.
Michael has more than 19 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.