Trump is diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency. What is that?

The White House reported on Thursday (17) that President Donald Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that occurs when veins have difficulty transporting blood back to the heart.

White House Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the diagnosis by commenting on the swelling in Trump’s legs and bruises on her hand in recent weeks.

Sean P. Barbabella, the president’s doctor, said in a statement that Trump noticed a slight swelling on the lower legs and underwent a complete assessment that revealed the condition. He added that she is “benign” and common in people over 70 (Trump is 79).

The risk of chronic venous insufficiency, which is estimated to affect 10% to 35% of adults in the US, increases with age. The condition, which occurs most often in the legs, can cause swelling, as the president has experienced. Other symptoms may include varicose veins, pain, discomfort, and in rare cases, venous ulcers, wounds that take to heal, said Prakash Krishnan, director of endovascular services at Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital in New York.

Additional risk factors include obesity, pregnancy and smoking. People who need to stand for long periods at work are also at risk, Krishnan said.

This is because the veins, especially in the legs, need to pump the blood against gravity back to the heart. They use unidirectional valves and muscles to help in this process, Krishnan explained. But when much blood accumulates, as it can happen during long standing periods, the pressure causes the veins to dilate and the valves can stretch and leak, causing venous insufficiency.

Doctors usually start with conservative treatments, such as compression socks to tighten their legs and help blood return to the heart. They also recommend that patients keep their legs high for at least 30 minutes, three times a day, and sometimes advise weight loss or resistance exercises to improve blood flow.

If these measures do not work, doctors can try more intensive treatments, such as a procedure called Sclerotherapy, which involves injecting a chemical solution into the affected veins to collapse them. They can also use heat to seal a vein, including laser treatment. The body then redirects the blood through other healthier veins.

The White House also noted that Trump had some bruises in his hand. Barbabella attributed this to the irritation caused by repeated hand grips and the use of aspirin, which the president takes as part of his heart health regime.

As part of the full assessment, Trump also did blood tests and an echocardiogram, Barbabella said. All results were within normal boundaries and revealed no heart, kidney or systemic problems. “President Trump remains in excellent health,” he wrote.