• Physical expression of venous insufficiency

• Swollen, twisted, and sometimes painful veins that have filled with an abnormal collection of blood.

• Latin root- “varix”

Varicose VeinsWhat are they?

• Veins return blood to the heart• In most veins, direction of blood

flow defies gravity• Veins have valves that prevent

backward flow

Anatomy & Physiology

Normal Veins?

• With varicose veins, the valves do not function properly, allowing blood to remain in the vein. Pooling of blood in a vein causes it to enlarge.

Varicose Veins?

Think, Pair, Share:

Consider some possible causes of varicose veins.

• Anyone, but mostly women• 80 million Americans have venous

insufficiency

IncidenceWho’s Affected?

Location? • Superficial veins • Most common on legs and ankles

Photo: Gastric varicose veinsSCIENCEphotoLIBRARY

• Advancing Age• Sedentary lifestyle• Standing long periods• Increased abdominal pressure • Hormonal influences • Prior injury and/or blood clots to

affected area

Risk FactorsPrimary Varicose Veins

Secondary Varicose Veins

• Heredity• Congenitally defective valves

Think, Pair, Share:

The diagnosis of varicose veins in America has more than doubled since 1985. How would you explain this increase?

• Fullness, heaviness, and aching in legs

• Visible, enlarged veins• Mild swelling of ankles• Brown discoloration of the skin at the

ankles• Skin ulcers near the ankle (this is

more often seen in severe cases)

Other SymptomsThese symptoms may occur prior to and along with visible varicosities

• duplex ultrasound Doppler probe evaluates velocity of blood flow

B-mode transducer displays both an image

• color-flow imaging Also called triplex ultrasound. Uses color to highlight the direction of blood flow, in addition to Doppler and B-mode technology of Duplex ultrasound

• magnetic resonance venography (MRV) Produces detailed images of organs and structures. Most useful for differential diagnosis of leg pain

DiagnosisProcedures

Vein stripping • Surgical removal• reserved for skin ulcers and

unbearable pain

TreatmentSurgical

Noninvasive Sclerotherapy• Cauterize/ burn affected veins• Laser ablation or Radiofrequency

ablation

• avoid excessive standing• raise legs when resting or sleeping• wear elastic support hose.

TreatmentSelf -Management

Think, Pair, Share:

So, why have you never heard of varicose arteries?

References:

http://www.veinclinicpa.com/vein-diseases/overview/what-are-varicose-veins.html

http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/263340/view

http://stanfordhospital.org/clinicsmedServices/COE/surgicalServices/vascularSurgery/patientEducation/varicose.html

http://www.burystedmundsveins.co.uk/Aboutvaricoseveins.php

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002099/