US President Donald Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, the White House announced on Thursday, after images of his swollen ankles and bruised hands at the FIFA Club World Cup stirred a fresh debate on his health.
The 79-year-old president underwent a “comprehensive examination, including diagnostic vascular studies" with the White House medical unit, said Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, reading a note from Trump’s physician, Captain Sean Barbabella.
Bilateral lower extremity venous Doppler ultrasounds were performed during the examination, which revealed “chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70", Barbabella’s letter said.
According to Leavitt, the examination came after Trump noticed “mild swelling in his lower legs" in recent weeks. “Importantly, there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or arterial disease," read the diagnosis, and Trump’s testing was “within normal limits."
There was also no sign of heart failure, renal impairment or systemic illness after Trump underwent an echocardiogram.
Chronic venous insufficiency is a condition in which valves inside certain veins don’t work the way they should, which can allow blood to pool or collect in the veins. This is a common condition among senior citizens.
Symptoms of this condition include swelling in the lower legs or ankles, leg cramps, varicose veins, pain, and skin changes. “This is a pretty normal part of ageing, and especially for someone in the overweight to obese category, which is where the president has always been," Dr. Jeremy Faust, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Harvard Medical School, told.
The risk of this condition increases with advancing age, obesity and physical inactivity. According to Dr Chris Pernell, chronic venous insufficiency is likely to happen if an individual is older, overweight and sitting or standing for prolonged amounts of time.
While attending the FIFA Club World Cup at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on July 13, Trump was photographed with noticeably swollen ankles and what seemed to be bruises on his hand, triggering speculation about the president’s health on social media.
Several experts shared concerns that Trump could have been dealing with a serious health issue., In April, Trump’s official medical report described him as “fully fit," with no concerns flagged about his mobility, cardiovascular health, or extremities.
However, Leavitt said that the president was experiencing “no discomfort." She clarified that the bruising on the back of Trump’s hand was due to his “frequent handshaking" and use of aspirin. She said he remains in “excellent health".
