Vascular surgeon warns of possible complications of varicose veins: “it’s not just what it seems”

This Monday, the 25th, doctor Fabrício Lemos received doctor Ângela Paixão Magalhães, vascular surgeon and professor at the Federal University of Acre, on the Doctor 24 Hours program.

Ângela Paixão spoke about the factors that contribute to the incidence of varicose veins. According to the doctor, patients with a family history of varicose veins have a 70% greater chance of developing the manifestations, but sex is also a contributing factor. “She was born a woman, she was born with a little star on her forehead so she could have varicose veins. We go through many variations in our lives; These are hormones, pregnancy, postpartum, hormone-based contraceptive methods. These all act as if they were triggers. If you are a woman who is prone to varicose veins, both these factors, such as being overweight, lack of physical activity, and the number of pregnancies, increase this chance. But the issue is multifactorial”, said the expert.

What are varicose veins?

Doctor Ângela Paixão explains that varicose veins are part of a disease called Chronic Venous Disease, which has the following symptoms: pain, tiredness in the legs, swelling, and varicose veins. Patients with severe manifestations of these symptoms can progress to the formation of ulcers, which can hamper patients’ mobility and quality of life.

For those who already have manifestations of the disease, it is necessary to be evaluated by a specialist. “Other treatments [não recomendados por especialistas] may mask or delay definitive treatment. It is necessary to carry out tests, ultrasound, to map out whether this disease is superficial or whether it involves the involvement of deeper veins, saphenous veins, and from there we can define the treatment”, says Ângela Paixão.