Peripheral Venous Disease

Peripheral venous disease is a type of vascular disease which affects the veins that carry blood from the various organs of the body back to the heart. It occurs when these veins become damaged, defective or broken. The factors causing damage to the veins include:

• Major injury to the walls of the veins
  

• Surgery
  

• Smoking
  

• Obesity
  

• Long period of bed rest or inactivity
  

• Use of birth control pills
  

• Cancer
  

• History of peripheral venous disease

The most common factor causing peripheral venous disease is blood clots. Clots develop in those areas that have been weakened due to slower blood flow. A clot can be lodged in superficial veins (known as superficial vein thrombosis) or in deep veins (known as deep vein thrombosis). It can occur anywhere in the body, but the most commonly affected areas are the arms and legs.

When to seek expert advise

Symptoms of peripheral venous disease can sometimes be confused for signs of ageing. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, be sure to contact your physician immediately as it may prove to be very dangerous, if ignored. Blood clots can sometimes travel to your lungs and cause an embolism (blockage) which can be very serious problem. If you are unsure about what your symptoms mean, the Section of Vascular Surgery or Section of Cardiology at The Aga Khan University Hospital will educate you about your options.