Chronic venous disease (CVD) is a serious medical and economic problem, not only in Slovakia. Up to 8 in 10 people in our country suffer from this condition. Most of them, however, postpone a doctor's visit and instead “treat” it with dietary supplements or creams.

Chronic venous disease is an inflammatory condition that, without proper treatment, progresses and worsens. The first symptoms may seem harmless: an uncomfortable feeling of heavy legs, pain, itching of the skin, swelling, and cramps. With improper treatment, the disease progresses over the years, with the appearance of varicose veins, skin color changes, and damage to the skin and subcutaneous tissue of the lower limb, up to an open calf ulcer. CVD is therefore not a negligible discomfort or a cosmetic issue. It is always a chronic, inflammatory, progressive disease that falls under medical care.

Many people, especially women who stand or sit for long periods at work, nonetheless unjustifiably postpone seeing a doctor. The sensation of heavy legs, cramps, or pain is often attributed to demanding work, age, and weight. These symptoms, however, are always manifestations of chronic venous disease, which requires drug treatment from the very beginning. Treatment must be comprehensive and lifelong. The basis is lifestyle change, especially reducing obesity, addressing a sedentary lifestyle, and lack of movement. Experts recommend treating CVD only with seven oral venopharmaceuticals supported by clinical studies that demonstrate the desired effect in treating this disease. These include:

  • Escin,
  • Rutin and rutoside,
  • Extract from red grape leaves,
  • Hesperidin with rosin and ascorbic acid,
  • Calcium dobesilate,
  • Tribenoside.

Clinical recommendations for the treatment of chronic venous disease also highlight a prescription medicine containing micronized diosmin with hesperidin, whose effect, unlike dietary supplements, has been reliably clinically tested and verified according to evidence-based medicine (EBM), and is indicated as a drug with the highest level of evidence. Its use in treating CVD is supported by both Slovak and international recommendations. This drug increases venous tone, improves lymphatic drainage, and protects macro- and microcirculation. It acts against the inflammatory process in venous valves, vein walls, and venous capillaries during chronic venous disease. Micronized diosmin with hesperidin is a venoactive medicine with a complex mechanism of action and simultaneously affects three important areas in the treatment of chronic venous disease: the venous system, the lymphatic system, and microcirculation. Expert recommendations emphasize the need for definitive treatment of varicose veins and also stress the risks of postponing treatment.

Compression therapy, using compression bandages or stockings, does partially replace the insufficiency of the calf muscle pump, speeds blood flow, relieves swelling, fatigue, and pain, limits varicose vein progression, and prevents calf ulcer formation, but existing varicose veins still need to be treated—by sclerotherapy, minimally invasive surgery, or conventional surgery. Otherwise, the disease will progress—with worsening symptoms, an increasing number of varicose veins, or the development of a calf ulcer. Delaying definitive treatment is an unnecessary risk to which the patient is exposed. Treating complications is more time-consuming and costly. As emerged from the “First Slovak Ultrasound Screening,” successful treatment with ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy is possible in a high percentage of affected patients. In patients who previously needed surgical treatment, we can now treat affected venous trunks in 95% of cases with endovenous one-day surgery, a procedure without an incision and without general or spinal anesthesia. The patient is mobile immediately after the procedure and goes home. The second day, they can return to work. None of the surgeries mentioned above is painful during or after the procedure. There is therefore no rational reason to postpone treatment and wait for complications.

The Movement for Healthy Legs in Slovak Cities Anyone who wants to know the state of the veins in their legs or experiences the first symptoms of chronic venous disease can visit a mobile clinic with the Movement for Healthy Legs logo. During the roadshow, which will take place over three months in 46 Slovak cities, experts equipped with examination devices will offer participants consultation, help, and treatment recommendations. More information and the exact tour plan can be found at www.opuchnutenohy.sk.

Do not downplay the problem of your heavy legs and consult a doctor about proper treatment!

Tour plan in cities:

Dates and cities: (click to enlarge)

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