Medicinal Treatment

Medication for Chronic Venous Insufficiency 


The walls of the veins change when suffering from chronic venous insufficiency. This causes the albuminous liquid to escape, which then accumulates in the cell tissue. Due to this water retention, swelling occurs, which is referred to as oedema. Medication can reduce the permeability of the vein walls and are often referred to as ‘vein remedies’. However, they don’t affect the veins. Instead, they act as oedema prevention. This means that they are protective medicines which prevent the development of oedemas, achieve the intended treatment success or supplement other therapeutic measures.

Medication can be a useful supplement to compression therapy in certain cases but they cannot replace compression entirely, restore the vein walls’ elasticity or support the skeletal-muscle pump. However, medical treatment can be helpful to patients who cannot wear compression stockings due to existing contraindications. Medical treatment can also assist with pain relief and have an anti-inflammatory effect.


Supportive measures

The medical treatment of venous diseases often uses plant-based substances like horse chestnut seed extract, sweet clover, woodruff or red vine leaves. The remedies are usually well-tolerated and show almost no side effects. The effect should not be overestimated, however. Medicine preventing oedemas can merely be used as a supportive means to other measures, such as compression therapy.

Medicine used to treat venous diseases can impact on the following:

  • Improve circulation
  • Reduce the permeability of the vein walls
  • Break down oedemas
  • Reduce inflammation
  • Promote the removal of lymph fluid

Further remedies that are used during vein therapy are anticoagulant substances like heparin. They prevent blood from coagulating and, thus, the development of life-threatening blood clots. Heparin is usually used for the thrombosis prophylaxis of clinical patients when they are bedridden for a long time after a surgery or when their mobility is restricted.

There are medicines available that can maintain the successful results of existing treatment options.
There are medicines available that can maintain the successful results of existing treatment options.

 

Please note: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.