Superficial phlebitis emedicine

Running Head: THE VEINS: CONDITIONS 1

THE VEINS: CONDITIONS 7

The Veins: Conditions

Iriagbonese Nosakhare

Walden University

NURS - 6501N Advanced Pathophysiology

September 21, 2015

The Veins: Conditions

The human body thrives under the nourishment of essential nutrients from the blood, which travels to every part of the body through the blood vessels. Thus, blood vessels play a very important role in the human body. This paper aims at discussing the human veins, with a special focus on the defects that attack the veins. The veins face a myriad of conditions, but this paper will focus on comparing the pathophysiology of chronic venous insufficiency [CVI] and deep vein thrombosis [DVT]. The paper will also discuss the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions for a patient with due consideration to gender as a factor for these diseases. A mind map is presented to summarize all the discussions in the paper.

Pathophysiology of Chronic Venous Insufficiency

Chronic Venous Insufficiency [CVI] is a vein condition that manifests itself on the superficial veins (Huether & McCance, 2012). The condition is characterized by weak and often ineffective venous valves, which allow blood to accumulate in the veins of the lower extremities, mostly the legs (Vascular Surgery, 2011).The major cause of CVI is excessive blood pressure in the superficial veins (Vascular Surgery, 2011). Other causes of the condition range from physical injuries to the veins, superficial phlebitis, and the development of abnormal valves (Weiss, 2014).

The blood is supplied back to the heart through the vena cava. The blood from the legs is pumped back to the heart, against the gravity, by the squeezing action of the leg muscles (Vascular Surgery, 2011). There exist one-way flap valves that prevent the backflow of the blood, which helps keep the blood moving in the right direction when the muscles relax (Huether & McCance, 2012). During physical activities such as walking, the muscles are in constant action of pushing the blood up the veins, but during extended periods of rest, the muscles relax making the veins work extra to prevent backflow of the blood (Vascular Surgery, 2011). This creates excessive pressure on the valves, which may result in their damage or the damage of the walls of the veins, causing CVI (Huether & McCance, 2012).

Pathophysiology of Deep Venous Thrombosis

Deep Venous Thrombosis is a condition characterized by the presence of blood clots in the veins. Thus, coagulation of the blood in the deep veins is a factor for DVT to occur. Three conditions, namely venous stasis, activation of blood clotting and vein damage are acknowledged as necessary for the manifestation DVT (Huether & McCance, 2012). DVT may be caused by major surgery, especially around the hip area, fractures in the hip or leg, inheritance of the condition, or cancer (Vascular Surgery, 2010).

The human body is filled with blood vessels, which carry either carry oxygen-rich blood to the body parts or carry blood poor in oxygen back to the heart. The vessels are divided into deep veins, which serve the muscles, and superficial veins that lie close to the skin (Vascular Surgery, 2010). The deep and the superficial veins are connected by perforating veins characterized by on way valves (Laureate Education, 2012). When a blood clot occurs in the deep veins, inflammation may occur that results in the growth of the clot (Huether & McCance, 2012). Such a clot leads to DVT.

A microthrombi occurs in the deep veins as a result of blood flow obstruction, which grows in size over time (Huether & McCance, 2012). A damage to the blood vessel leads to the activation of circulating tissue factor and decreases the amount of circulating antithrombin and fibrinolysins (Patel, 2014). Local cytokine production and the adhesion of leukocytes to the endothelium results, which promotes the development of venous thrombus (Patel, 2014).

Thus, it is evident that CVI and DVT are related in that one can lead to the other. DVT causes the blood pressure to increase, which may result in damage to the walls of the superficial veins and the damage of venous valves. Similarly, sluggish flow in the superficial valves may lead to blood clots in the deep veins as a result delayed time in the deep veins, resulting in DVT (Vascular Surgey, 2010). Differences in the two conditions of the veins occur in their different locations of manifestation and the necessary conditions for the occurrence of each.

CVI and DVT Diagnosis, Treatment, and Gender Implications

Gender is a factor for both CVI and DVT (Weiss, 2014). The incidences of CVI are higher in men than in women due to the hormonal changes in women. The incidence of CVT is 20% in aged men as compared to 50% incidence in similarly aged women (Weiss, 2014). The risks of DVT are higher in men than for women. The likelihood of having DVT is 1.2 times higher in men than in women (Patel, 2010).

Diagnosis of CVI involves running a patient history and physical exam. The physician will inquire about the patient’s medical history that relates to CVI such as DVT, excessive immobility and family history (Vascular Surgery, 2011). The physician will take the blood pressure of the legs and conduct X-ray exams to ascertain the presence of CVI

The treatment of CVI in a patient involves prescribing physical exercises such as walking or wearables such as compressible stockings (Vascular Surgery, 2011). Change of lifestyle such as in men who smoke will also help manage CVI (Vascular Surgery, 2011). In severe CVI cases, surgery may be necessary.

The physician will conduct a physical and patient history exam to diagnose DVT. Duplex imaging tests the recommended tests to ascertain the presence of DVT (Vascular Surgery, 2010).

Treatment procedures include anticoagulation doses and physical options such as compression stockings for mild cases. Severe cases call for surgical interventions.

Mind Maps

C:\Users\MINAH\Desktop\CVI.jpeg

Figure 1: CVI Mind Map

C:\Users\MINAH\Desktop\DVT.jpeg

Figure 2: DVT Mind Map

The veins have a critical role to play in the human body, which makes them pertinent to human survival. The CVI and DVT are two serious conditions of the veins, which are related as by their causal relationship, where DVT often leads to CVI. However, CVI and DVT differ in that CVI affects the valves of the superficial veins and is caused by excessive pressure on these veins, while DVT occur as a result of blood clots in the deep veins. Gender plays an important role in these conditions, where the females are more prone to the diseases than their male counterparts are. Diagnosis and treatment options based on gender involve physical and history exams for CVI, and imaging for DVT. Treatment may include physical prescriptions or surgery, depending on the severity.

References

Huether, S. E., & McCance, K. L. (2012). Understanding pathophysiology (Laureate custom ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012a). Alterations of cardiovascular functions PPT lecture. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Patel, K. (2014). Deep venous thrombosis. Medscape Reference. Retrieved from http:www//emedicine.medscape.com/article/1911303-overview#a4

Society for Vascular Surgery. (2011). Chronic venous insufficiency. Retrieved from http://www.vascularweb.org/vascularhealth/Pages/chronic-venous-insufficiency.aspx/

Society for Vascular Surgey. (2010). Deep vein thrombosis. Retrieved from http://www.vascularweb.org/vascularhealth/Pages/deep-vein-thrombosis-(-dvt-)-.aspx/

Weiss, R. (2014). Venous insufficiency. Medscape Reference. Retrieved from http://www.emedicine.medscpae.com/article/1085412-overview#a6/