Conservative Management of Chronic Venous Insufficiency

Abstract

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a common medical condition with major socioeconomic impact. Prevalence in adult population is estimated to be 5-30%. Its pathology is based on venous hypertension on the lower extremities. This results in edema, subcutaneous fibrosis, pigmentation, chronic pain and ulceration. The severity of chronic venous disease is closely related to the magnitude of venous hypertension. Treatment options for CVI include medical, interventional, surgical and physical treatments. The initial management of CVI involves conservative approaches to reduce symptoms and prevent development of secondary complications and progression of disease. It includes the elevation of the limb together with the supportive methods, pharmacotherapy and structured exercise program, as well as complex decongestive physiotherapy (CDP), intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC), compression stocking (CS), patient education and kinesio tape. CVI is a chronic disease that needs a lifelong care. In this review, we present a discussion about pathophysiology and risk factors for CVI development and conservative treatment options.

Therapeutic compression materials and wound dressings for chronic venous insufficiency: A comprehensive review

“…In China, 8.9% of the population suffer from venous disorders of the lower extremities, with an annual illness rate of 0.5-3.0%, of which leg ulcerations account approximately 1.5% (Liu, Guo, Lao, & Little, 2016). The prevalence of CVI is generally far higher in women than in men (Özdemir & Surmeli, 2017), exhibits a consistent global increase, owing to the growing aging population and increasing prevalence of risk factors, such as diabetes, smoking, cancer, obesity, and arthritis (Pires, Nogueira, & Navarro, 2017).…”