Vaskulárna medicína 2/2013

Arterial and venous hypertension in patients with chronic venous disease

Chronic venous disease (CVD) affects millions of people all over the world. Numerous risk factors have been put forward over the years as potentionally increasing the risk of primary varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency. The importance of some risk factors has been fairly well established (age, multiple pregnancies, standing occupation, sedentary life style, heredity, obesity), some of them are still discussed (arterial hypertension, dietary habits, smoking). Prolonged ortosthatic state (standing up, not moving leg muscles), and to a lesser extend prolonged sitting, contribute to the rise in venous pressure and damage to the vein wall. Venous hypertension is one of the most important pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in the development of CVD.

Keywords: chronic venous disease, risk factors, venous hypertension, arterial hypertension.