Earlier this week, President Trump was identified with power venous insufficiency, or CVI, after he famous delicate swelling in his decrease legs. White Home doctor Dr. Sean P. Barbabella in a memo July 17 stated the swelling prompted a full medical analysis, together with ultrasound exams and blood work. These confirmed CVI, a situation the physician described as “benign and common — particularly in individuals over the age of 70.” Dr. Barbabella stated he discovered no different indicators of extra severe cardiovascular points like blood clots and declared the president to be in “excellent health.”
What’s power venous insufficiency?
“CVI is when the veins of the body do not work well,” stated Dr. Mimmie Kwong, assistant professor of vascular surgical procedure at UC Davis Well being, when veins can’t transport blood successfully, inflicting it to pool, particularly within the legs.
CVI is likely one of the commonest vein issues within the U.S. and worldwide, affecting “about one in three adults in the United States,” Kwong stated.
That interprets to greater than 30 million folks within the U.S., most frequently older adults, in accordance with Dr. Ali Azizzadeh, a professor and director of Vascular Surgical procedure at Cedars-Sinai and affiliate director of the Smidt Coronary heart Institute. He famous the situation is extra widespread in girls.
As folks age, the veins, comparable to of their legs, could have a tougher time returning blood to the guts, he stated.
What causes CVI?
The valves within the veins of the legs are supposed to maintain blood transferring in a single route: again towards the guts. However when these valves are broken or weakened, they’ll cease working correctly, main blood to move backward and acquire within the decrease legs.
People who stand or sit for prolonged intervals, or these with a household historical past of vein points, could also be at a better danger of creating the situation.
“When the calf muscles are active, they pump the veins that return blood from the legs to the heart,” Azizzadeh defined. “With prolonged inactivity of those muscles, blood can pool in the legs.”
What does CVI really feel like?
Whereas CVI isn’t at all times painful, it might trigger discomfort that worsens because the day goes on.
The mornings could really feel the most effective: “The legs naturally drain while you are lying down and sleeping overnight,” stated Azizzadeh, “so they will typically feel lightest in the morning.”
Because the day progresses and blood begins to pool, folks with CVI could expertise swelling, heaviness, aching or a boring ache of their legs. The signs are inclined to worsen after extended intervals of standing or sitting.
If swelling worsens, thickening, irritation or dry pores and skin may end up, with extra extreme instances creating wounds that don’t heal and might even end in amputation, Kwong stated.
FILE – President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he leaves the White Home, July 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Picture/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
(Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)
How is CVI handled?
Ttreatment is extra manageable when problematic veins are nearer to the floor of the pores and skin, Kwong stated. It’s extra problematic when deep veins are affected.
The primary line of therapy is often easy way of life modifications. “We suggest CEE: compression, elevation, and exercise,” Azizzadeh stated. Sporting compression stockings may also help push blood out of the legs; elevating the legs permits gravity to assist drain blood from the legs towards the guts, and common strolling forces calf muscle groups to pump blood all through the physique.
For folks with extra severe instances, docs could suggest a minimally invasive process that makes use of warmth to seal off the leaky veins. Widespread remedies embody ablation strategies, surgical removing of veins (phlebectomy), or chemical (sclerosant) injections. “All of these therapies aim to cause the veins to shut down, so they no longer cause the CVI,” Kwong stated.
FILE – President Donald Trump, left, reaches to shake arms with Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa communicate upon his arrival on the White Home, July 16, 2025, in Washington.
(Alex Brandon/AP)
In President Trump’s case, the situation seems to be delicate and manageable. His docs emphasised there was no trigger for concern and that he stays in good general well being. However for thousands and thousands of People dwelling with CVI, recognizing the signs and figuring out the way to handle them could make an enormous distinction in day-to-day consolation and long-term well-being.
