Therapeutic approach in patients with chronic venous insufficiency

Abstract

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), frequent cause of lower limb edema, represents a severe consequence of the dysfunction of the venous valve, which results from the venous hypertension together with the degenerative processes at this level. CVI defines only the severe stages of the chronic venous disease (CVD), accompanied by morphological and functional damage, with significant alteration in quality of life. The treatment of CVI involves, depending on the severity of the case, a combination of general nonpharmacologic, pharmacologic, and surgical measures. Non-pharmacologic measures involve the use of a continuous and controlled external pressure represented by compression stockings which can significantly improve the venous return and lead to a major symptoms improvement. Pharmacologic treatment aims on one hand to alleviate hemodinamics by lowering blood viscosity, decreasing venous pressure and preventing intravascular thrombus formation and, on the other hand, restoring thevascular glycocalyx/endothelium, reducing parietal inflammation and increasing the venous wall tone. Within this pathology, sulodexide represents an innovative biological product with polypharmacological actions targeting more sites involved in the pathogenesis of CVD/CVI that alleviate hemodynamics and restore vascular structure which lead to a significant symptoms improvement and a slow disease progression. Surgery remains the procedure of choice in patients initially treated conservatively in whom symptoms persist or worsen, but also in case of those who already come to doctor in a severe stage of the disease.