The Importance of Recognizing Skin Signs of Venous Disease: Lowering the Venous Burden

Looking back at an excellent EADV congress in Amsterdam last week, where I lectured on "Skin signs of venous insufficiency and stressed the importance of recognition as well as their timely management" in our Venous Session with co-chairs Felizitas Pannier, Tobias G?rge and Simone van der Velden

Facing the facts: Chronic Venous Disease (CVD):

• Has a prevalence of 21% in Europe
• Severely reduces people’s quality of life (QoL)
• Costs 1-2% of EU healthcare budget
• Progresses over time, esp. worriesome in our ageing European societies

CVD is easy to treat, often with modern minimal invasive therapy (endovenous laser of radiofrequency ablation).

Recognition of skin signs of CVD is important to start timely treatment to:

• Reduce signs & symptoms
• Conserve health and QoL
• Reduce longterm costs

Prompt ablation of varicose veins in venous leg ulcers (VLU):

• Is more effective than compression in reducing venous hypertension
• Leads to lower ulcer recurrence rate

Future-proof venous care requires:

• Lifestyle modification advice as part of phlebology. Advising on stimulating exercise, weight management. And promoting less standing and heavy lifting for longer periods of time to reduce venous pressure.
• Sensible & Economical use of care with limited healthcare budgets in ageing EU-societies.
• Adhering to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. E.g. with minimal invasive phlebology procedures, using less materials and resources, lowering our healthcare footprint as shown in a recent pilot study with Birgitte Visch #EADV #phlebology #dermatology #sustainable #healthcare #SDG #UnitedNations #UN #NVDV