Venous Insufficiency

Question 1

What does the acronym “PVD” stand for?

Answer 1

Peripheral Vascular Disease

Question 2

What type of vessels can be affected by a peripheral vascular disease?

Answer 2

• Arterial
• Venous
• Lymphatic

Question 3

What health history is usually associated with venous insufficiency?

Answer 3

• Deep vein thrombosis
• Vein surgery
• Venous disease
• Leg trauma
• Failure of the calf-muscle pump

Question 4

What lifestyle habits are usually associated with venous insufficiency?

Answer 4

• Sedentary
• Obesity
• Immobile / occupations which requires prolonged standing / sitting

Question 5

What symptoms are usually associated with venous insufficiency?

Answer 5

• Dull, achy pain
• Lower leg edema
• Pulse present
• Drainage
• Sores with irregular borders
• Yellow slough
• Ruddy skin

Question 6

What health history is usually associated with arterial insufficiency?

Answer 6

• Cardiovascular disease
• Stroke
• Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
• Advanced age

Question 7

What lifestyle habits are usually associated with arterial insufficiency?

Answer 7

• Smoking
• Malnutrition / Obesity

Question 8

What are symptoms associated with arterial insufficiency?

Answer 8

• Intermittent claudication pain
• No edema
• Absent/weak pulse
• No drainage
• Round, smooth sores
• Black eschar

Question 9

What components are required for normal venous function?

Answer 9

• Competent valves
• Physical properties of the venous wall
• Functioning calf muscle pump

Question 10

What condition often causes venous ulcers?

Answer 10

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI)

or

Chronic venous disease (CVD)

Question 11

What are the characteristics of wounds associated with CVD?

Answer 11

• Irregular sloping margins
• Devitalized tissue (yellow and pink-red [shallow fibrinous, granulating base])
• Variable size
• High exudate levels
• Painful, with pain relieved by elevation of the limb

Question 12

During inspection, what are signs of CVI?

Answer 12

• Wound located in the gaiter region of the leg.
• Edema
• Varicosities (varicose veins, varicose eczema)
• Lipodermatosclerosis (inverted champagne bottle effect)
• Hemosiderin staining
• Hyperpigmentation
• Atrophie blanche
• Venous Dermatitis

Question 13

What is the CEAP Classification tool?

Answer 13

Tool that ensures that chronic venous disorders are diagnosed, compared and reported in a universally uniform way.

Clinical
Etiological
Anatomical
Pathophysiological

Question 14

What questions are associated with each letter of the CEAP tool?

Answer 14

CLINICAL: What symptoms are present?

ETIOLOGICAL: What’s the etiology of the CVI? Are causes congenital, primary (undetermined cause), or secondary (known cause).

ANATOMICAL: What veins are implicated (superficial, deep or perforating) and where?

PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL: What’s causing/contributing to the CVI? (Reflux, obstruction, or a combination of both)

Question 15

What does the acronym “ABPI” stand for?

Answer 15

Ankle-Brachial Pressure Index

Question 16

What does the ABPI evaluate within lower limbs?

Answer 16

Adequate arterial perfusion.

Essential to determine if using compression therapy.

Question 17

What are normal ABPI results?

Answer 17

1.0 - 1.40

Question 18

What does the acronym “MAVLU” stand for?

Answer 18

Mixed Arterial Venous Leg Ulcers

Question 19

What are Mixed Arterial Venous Leg Ulcers?

Answer 19

Having both venous and arterial compromises/ulcers at the same time.