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CNET
5 days ago
- Health
- CNET
Chronic Venous Insufficiency: A Vein Specialist on Causes and Symptoms for Trump's Diagnosis
In a July 17 memo from Dr. Sean P. Barbabella, the president's doctor, Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency or CVI. According to Barbabella, this diagnosis is common, especially in older adults over the age of 70 (Trump is 79), and "benign." As for the bruising that has been seen on the back of Trump's hand, his doctor states that it's a separate condition caused by him frequently shaking hands while also being a benign side effect of him taking aspirin. Though Barbabella's memo concluded that "President Trump remains in excellent health," we wanted to know more about CVI and if it's as benign as it's been made to seem. To learn more about chronic venous insufficiency's potential causes, symptoms and treatment, we reached out to Khanh Nguyen, DO, chief medical officer of the Center for Vein Restoration. What is chronic venous insufficiency? Chronic venous insufficiency is when your legs' veins don't work as well as they should. "Normally, veins have small valves that help keep blood flowing back up toward the heart," explains Nguyen, who is not involved in Trump's case but has treated patients for CVI. "But if those valves become weak or damaged, blood can start to pool in the legs instead of moving upward like it should." Chronic venous insufficiency causes The most common causes of CVI, according to Nguyen, are: Aging : "As we get older, our veins and valves naturally weaken." : "As we get older, our veins and valves naturally weaken." Family history : "If close family members have vein problems, you're more likely to develop them, too. Genetics play a significant role in developing venous disease." : "If close family members have vein problems, you're more likely to develop them, too. Genetics play a significant role in developing venous disease." Being overweight : "Extra weight puts more pressure on the veins in your legs." : "Extra weight puts more pressure on the veins in your legs." Sitting or standing for long periods : "This makes it harder for blood to move out of the legs, especially without movement. Blood is constantly fighting against gravity to return to the heart, so walking and activating the calf muscle helps the blood to be pumped back." : "This makes it harder for blood to move out of the legs, especially without movement. Blood is constantly fighting against gravity to return to the heart, so walking and activating the calf muscle helps the blood to be pumped back." Pregnancy : "Increased blood volume and hormone changes can put a strain on the venous system. In addition, the enlarged fetus and uterus also put pressure on the abdomen and pelvis, compressing the veins and impeding blood return, further increasing venous hypertension." : "Increased blood volume and hormone changes can put a strain on the venous system. In addition, the enlarged fetus and uterus also put pressure on the abdomen and pelvis, compressing the veins and impeding blood return, further increasing venous hypertension." Previous blood clots: "A history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) can damage vein valves and puts a patient at higher risk for developing venous disease." DVT occurs when a blood clot forms in one or more of the body's deep veins, typically in the legs. These various factors can cause an increase in pressure in the leg veins over time, contributing to venous insufficiency. However, Nguyen states that early treatment and lifestyle changes can help manage symptoms and prevent worsening conditions. Chronic venous insufficiency symptoms While CVI symptoms can vary, Nguyen lists common ones as: leg swelling, heaviness, aching, throbbing, restless legs and cramping. Many patients also notice varicose veins and skin changes like darkening or itching around the ankles. In advanced cases, you may even see venous ulcers or open wounds near the lower legs. "Symptoms often worsen after prolonged periods of standing or sitting and improve with leg elevation and the use of compression stockings," states Nguyen. PonyWang/Getty Images Is chronic venous insufficiency 'benign'? Though Dr. Sean P. Barbabella, Trump's doctor, claims CVI is "benign," Nguyen says that's not the full picture. "While CVI is often labeled 'benign' because it's not life-threatening like arterial disease, it's not a harmless condition," he says. "Left untreated, it can significantly impact quality of life and lead to complications like chronic pain, skin changes, venous ulcers and potentially blood clots." In other words, chronic venous insufficiency isn't something you should ignore. "It's a medical issue that warrants expert attention and treatment, particularly because early intervention can help prevent its progression," Nguyen explains. Chronic venous insufficiency diagnosis "CVI is typically diagnosed by taking a thorough history and performing a physical examination followed by a duplex ultrasound, a noninvasive imaging test that visualizes blood flow and evaluates the function of the veins and their valves," says Nguyen. This test allows doctors to confirm venous reflux (when veins struggle to circulate blood back to the heart) and rule out other conditions like deep vein thrombosis. Chronic venous insufficiency treatment Nguyen reports that CVI is treated with a combination of the following: compression therapy, lifestyle changes and minimally invasive procedures that close off or redirect blood flow from malfunctioning veins. "Today's advanced outpatient treatments typically take under an hour to complete, require little to no downtime, and are covered by insurance when medically necessary," he explains. "Patients can return to their normal routine immediately, with few restrictions." Early CVI diagnosis and treatment are key According to Nguyen, one of the biggest challenges with CVI is that people ignore early symptoms, writing them off as fatigue or aging. This is especially concerning because CVI is treatable, thanks to modern therapies that are effective, safe and fast. "If you're experiencing leg discomfort, swelling or visible veins, don't wait -- early diagnosis and treatment can make a tremendous difference in your longterm leg health and comfort," concludes Nguyen.
Politico
18-07-2025
- Health
- Politico
Understanding Trump's CVI diagnosis
Presented by Driving the Day WHAT IS CVI? President Donald Trump was recently diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a medical condition that's the result of damaged leg veins struggling to pump blood to the heart. Sean Barbabella, the president's physician, said in a letter released to the public that Trump 'remains in excellent health' — but medical experts say the condition is important to monitor. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump tested for other, more serious complications that sometimes go hand in hand with chronic venous insufficiency, but none were found. 'No signs of heart failure, renal impairment or systemic illness were identified,' she said. Here are some things to know about CVI. It's very common: CVI affects about 1 in 20 adults, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It's especially common in older adults, and the risk increases with age. Trump turned 79 last month. It's generally mild but can worsen over time: If left untreated, it can cause a range of symptoms, including swelling, cramps, skin changes, leg ulcers and varicose veins. 'What's interesting about this is that it runs the spectrum from very, very mild — where you might have a little bit of swelling, maybe a few varicose veins — to very severe, where you have very severe swelling, skin changes, hyperpigmentation, sort of fibrosis or leather appearance of the skin and even wounds,' said Dr. Thomas Maldonado, a vascular surgeon and medical director of the Venous Thromboembolic Center at NYU Langone Health, who is not involved in Trump's care. 'It's chronic, and over the course of a lifetime, especially as we age, this can be more severe.' Barbabella called CVI 'a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over 70' in a letter released to the public. A range of treatment options: Barbabella, in his letter, didn't specify what treatments — if any — Trump would be undergoing. Lifestyle changes, like regular exercise, leg elevation and weight management, are typically the first steps in treating CVI, according to Maldonado. Compression therapy, which involves wearing tight stockings or bandages, is also an option. Oral anticoagulants are sometimes prescribed to prevent blood clots from forming, and in more severe cases, minimally invasive procedures and surgery are used. But those options are typically used only if the vein is 'superficial,' or close to the skin. In cases where deeper veins are damaged, treatment is more complicated. 'Sometimes the ultrasound will show it's mostly in the deep system. And unfortunately, those are sacred. We can't really do surgery or shut those veins down. They're critical for the circulation,' said Maldonado. WELCOME TO FRIDAY PULSE. Some nutrition experts argue that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s push to remove synthetic dyes from ice cream won't move the needle on health. Send your tips, scoops and feedback to khooper@ and sgardner@ and follow along @kelhoops and @sophie_gardnerj. In Congress RESCISSIONS PACKAGE PASSES — House Republicans gave final approval just after midnight Friday to President Donald Trump's proposal to claw back $9 billion in public media and foreign assistance, green-lighting the Senate's changes to the measure that will bake in proposed DOGE cuts to public media and foreign aid. The package now heads to the president's desk. The House's 216-213 vote to clear the Senate-amended package comes less than 24 hours after the Senate voted to tweak the administration's original proposal that would have cut an additional $400 million from the global AIDS fighting program, the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. Senate Republicans also added language vowing that certain food-assistance programs would be protected and staved off impacts to other food aid, maternal health, malaria and tuberculosis-related initiatives. 'This bill tonight is part of continuing that trend of getting spending under control. Does it answer all the problems? No. Nine billion dollars is a good start,' said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. In the House, the chamber's top Democratic appropriator, Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, said Republicans' approval of the clawbacks package was tantamount to 'a rubber stamp on the Trump administration's stealing' from the American people. 'This rescissions bill is another effort to subvert the Congress' power of the purse,'' she said. AROUND THE AGENCIES RISKY RESEARCH REBUKE — HHS accused its own staff of 'malicious compliance' in compiling a list of agency-funded experiments that President Donald Trump has ordered the agency to review and possibly halt because the administration believes they could endanger the public, POLITICO's Erin Schumaker reports. According to a Thursday post on the agency's official X account, staff at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases had acted inappropriately by omitting certain grants while compiling a qualification list. On Wednesday, The Washington Post reported that NIH Principal Deputy Director Matt Memoli, the agency's No. 2 official, had added 11 new grants to the list career staff had compiled, overriding them in classifying tuberculosis studies NIH reviewers deemed safe as potentially dangerous gain-of-function research. 'Memoli corrected NIAID staff to assure that NIH was in compliance with the [executive order] by ordering them to submit the full list for temporary pause,' the agency's X post said. Contacted by POLITICO, an official at HHS described the behavior as 'malicious compliance' and said the administration wouldn't tolerate it. The list the agency ultimately adopted includes 40 experiments that the administration believes could constitute dangerous gain-of-function research, which involves altering pathogens to make them more transmissible or deadly to study them, according to a Washington Post report. Why it matters: Trump and many Republicans in Congress believe the Covid-19 pandemic was caused by a lab leak stemming from gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China, where the virus first emerged. The scientific community believes the virus most likely spilled over from animals into humans. The executive order banned federal funding to countries Trump said have insufficient research oversight and ordered a pause on U.S. research on 'infectious pathogens and toxins' that pose a danger to the public. What's next? The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy will decide whether to halt funding the experiments. Medicare WOUND-CARE CRACKDOWN — Some health providers are ecstatic that CMS is going after a billion-dollar Medicare scam — but they want regulators to guarantee they won't be hurt financially, POLITICO's Robert King reports. On Monday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed to slash Medicare spending on pricey wound care treatments that have become a magnet for fraud. Accountable care organizations, which manage Medicare costs, first identified the fraud and lauded the move. But they don't want to be held responsible for the out-of-control spending caused by bad actors. 'The financial consequences of fraud should rest with those responsible for it, not with ACOs striving to uphold the integrity of value-based care,' said Nicole Bradberry, CEO of the advocacy groups the Florida Association of ACOs and the Texas Association of ACOs. ACOs are groups of doctors and hospitals that agree to keep their Medicare spending below a certain level. They receive a share of any savings but must pay Medicare for exceeding their targets. A few years ago, some ACOs noticed big spikes in Medicare spending on skin substitutes that mimic human skin and are used to treat burn victims. CMS' projected spending on the pricey treatments shot up from $256 million in 2019 to more than $10 billion in 2024. The increase stemmed largely from independent wound-care clinics billing for medically unnecessary treatments, according to CMS investigations. Beneficiaries can be treated at a home health or independent clinic not affiliated with an ACO, but costs are still attributed to the ACO responsible for those patients' care. The agency proposed reclassifying the treatments and slashing spending by 90 percent. But ACOs are worried they'll still be responsible for increased spending they had nothing to do with. CMS said in a statement that it understood the ACO's concerns but didn't comment on whether it would release a rule to address the issue. Industry Intel FIRST IN PULSE: FIGHT 340B FRAUD — Roughly 40 conservative leaders, including Grover Norquist, who heads Americans for Tax Reform, are calling on Republican congressional leaders to crack down on the 340B drug-pricing program, which provides discounted prices for certain so-called safety-net providers to purchase outpatient drugs. 'The 340B program is supposed to help hospitals provide care to indigent populations at low or no cost, but it is now routinely used fraudulently,' the leaders wrote in a letter. 'Hospitals serving low income areas receive the medicines at low or no cost, but then distribute them throughout a vast hospital network, specifically targeting affluent areas, and increasing the price for everyone.' Hospital groups have argued that 340B financially props up hospitals that serve low-income patients, and if the program were overhauled, it could mean closures and loss of access to care. In the spotlight: Congressional Republicans have long floated reforming 340B, arguing that it is frequently abused. But with Trump in the White House and Republicans holding both chambers of Congress, 340B reform has been top of mind in many conservative circles. In April, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released a report calling for more transparency in the program, and the Trump administration has indicated it wants to move oversight of 340B from Health Resources and Services Administration to CMS, where the program could face more intense scrutiny. WHAT WE'RE READING Reuters' Diana Novak Jones reports on Democratic attorneys general suing to block HHS changes to ACA health insurance marketplaces. STAT's Olivia Goldhill reports on suicide rates rising in older men.
Business Times
18-07-2025
- Health
- Business Times
Trump diagnosed with vein condition causing leg swelling: White House
[WASHINGTON] The White House said on Thursday (Jul 16) that US President Donald Trump is experiencing swelling in his lower legs and bruising on his right hand, after photographs emerged of Trump with swollen ankles and makeup covering the afflicted part of his hand. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, reading a letter from Trump's doctor at a press briefing, said both ailments were benign. His leg swelling is from a 'common' vein condition, and his hand is bruised from shaking so many hands, she told reporters. The disclosure sought to put to rest a raft of Internet rumours that the 79-year-old Trump might be suffering from a serious ailment based on the photographic evidence. After Leavitt's briefing, the White House released the letter from a US Navy officer who is Trump's physician, Sean Barbabella. It said Trump underwent a suite of tests about the issues. Barbabella said an ultrasound on the president's legs 'revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70'. The letter said there was no evidence that Trump had contracted deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Additional exams identified no signs of heart failure, kidney impairment, or a systemic illness, Barbabella said. Leavitt told reporters Trump was not experiencing discomfort due to the condition. Barbabella also said that Trump had bruising on the back of his right hand. He described this as 'consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen'. 'President Trump remains in excellent health,' he said. Kwame Amankwah, a physician who is chief of vascular surgery at the University of Connecticut in Hartford, said chronic venous insufficiency is usually an issue with the lower legs in which the veins have problems sending blood from the legs back to the heart. It is usually treated with compression stockings and leg elevation, he said. 'Even if he doesn't have heart disease, the condition needs to be addressed. If it's not managed with compression stockings and elevation, severe swelling and ulcers can develop, warranting more significant medical interventions,' Amankwah said. Todd Berland, a physician who is director of outpatient vascular interventions at NYU Langone Health, said chronic venous insufficiency 'has no overall effect on life expectancy. It's a quality-of-life issue, not a quantity of life issue'. Trump underwent an extensive physical examination on Apr 11 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in suburban Washington. It said Trump had a normal heart rhythm and no major health problems. REUTERS
Politico
17-07-2025
- Health
- Politico
3 things to know about Trump's vein condition
Here's what to know about the condition. How serious is it? CVI happens when leg veins are damaged and some blood cannot flow from the legs to the heart and pools up in the leg veins, causing swelling and other complications. The condition is generally mild but can worsen over time. If left untreated, it can cause a host of symptoms, including swelling, cramps, skin changes, leg ulcers, and varicose veins, which are veins that become swollen and twisted. 'What's interesting about this is that it runs the spectrum from very, very mild — where you might have a little bit of swelling, maybe a few varicose veins — to very severe, where you have very severe swelling, skin changes, hyperpigmentation, sort of fibrosis or leather appearance of the skin and even wounds,' said Dr. Thomas Maldonado, a vascular surgeon and medical director of the Venous Thromboembolic Center at NYU Langone Health. 'It's chronic, and over the course of a lifetime, especially as we age, this can be more severe.' Sean Barbabella, the president's physician, called CVI 'a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over 70' in a letter released to the public. The condition can, however, be tied to more serious conditions, including deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot that forms in a deep vein, or pulmonary embolism, a blood clot that stops blood flow to an artery in the lung. Barbabella said Trump showed no signs of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease. How common is it? CVI affects about 1 in 20 adults, according to the Cleveland Clinic . It's especially common in older adults, and the risk increases with age. Trump turned 79 last month. How is it treated? CVI has a handful of treatments, ranging from lifestyle changes to surgery. Barbabella, in his letter, did not specify what treatments — if any — Trump would be undergoing. Lifestyle changes, like regular exercise, leg elevation and weight management are usually the first steps to treating CVI, according to Maldonado. Compression therapy, which involves tight stockings or bandages, is also an option. Blood thinners are sometimes used to prevent blood clots from forming. Some treatments involve injecting a chemical into the veins, which causes scarring, so the veins no longer carry blood. For worse cases, surgery is sometimes necessary. That can involve tying off the problem vein so that it no longer transports blood, or, if necessary, removing the vein. Those options are usually only available if the vein is 'superficial,' or close to the skin. In cases where deeper veins are the ones damaged, surgery is usually not an option. 'Sometimes the ultrasound will show it's mostly in the deep system. And unfortunately, those are sacred. We can't really do surgery or shut those veins down. They're critical for the circulation,' said Maldonado. Maya Kaufman contributed to this report.
AU Financial Review
17-07-2025
- Health
- AU Financial Review
Trump diagnosed with chronic vein condition causing leg swelling
The White House said on Thursday (Friday AEST) that US President Donald Trump is experiencing swelling in his lower legs and bruising on his right hand, after photographs emerged of Trump with swollen ankles and makeup covering the afflicted part of his hand. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, reading a letter from Trump's doctor at a press briefing, said both ailments were benign. His leg swelling is from a 'common' vein condition, and his hand is bruised from shaking so many hands, she told reporters. The disclosure sought to put to rest a raft of internet rumours that the 79-year-old Trump might be suffering from a serious ailment based on the photographic evidence. After Leavitt's briefing, the White House released the letter from a U.S. Navy officer who is Trump's physician, Sean Barbabella. It said Trump underwent a suite of tests about the issues. Barbabella said an ultrasound on the president's legs 'revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.' The letter said there was no evidence Trump had contracted deep vein thrombosis, a malady that afflicted former President Richard Nixon, or arterial disease. Additional exams identified no signs of heart failure, kidney impairment, or a systemic illness, Barbabella said. Leavitt told reporters Trump was not experiencing discomfort due to the condition. Barbabella also said that Trump had bruising on the back of his right hand. He described this as 'consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.' 'President Trump remains in excellent health,' he said.
