What condition is caused by prolonged, increased intraluminal pressure and loss of valve competence?

What condition is caused by prolonged, increased intraluminal pressure and loss of valve competence?

• A. Spider veins
• B. Stasis dermatitis
• C. Varicose veins
• D. Caput Medusa

Answer: (C)

Prolonged venous hypertension from valve incompetence in the leg veins leads to varicose veins. When the valves inside superficial veins fail, blood can flow backward during standing, causing blood to pool and pressure to rise within the veins. This sustained high pressure stretches and dilates the veins, making them tortuous and prominent just beneath the skin. Over time, the veins become visibly enlarged and capable of causing symptoms like aching or heaviness, and chronic venous insufficiency can accompany edema and skin changes. Spider veins are much smaller dilated vessels and aren’t driven by the same valve failure in larger veins. Caput medusae reflects collateral venous flow from portal hypertension around the umbilicus, not leg venous valve incompetence. Stasis dermatitis is a skin reaction from chronic venous insufficiency secondary to venous hypertension, but the defining vascular change is the dilation of the superficial veins from valve failure, i.e., varicose veins.

Prolonged venous hypertension from valve incompetence in the leg veins leads to varicose veins. When the valves inside superficial veins fail, blood can flow backward during standing, causing blood to pool and pressure to rise within the veins. This sustained high pressure stretches and dilates the veins, making them tortuous and prominent just beneath the skin. Over time, the veins become visibly enlarged and capable of causing symptoms like aching or heaviness, and chronic venous insufficiency can accompany edema and skin changes.

Spider veins are much smaller dilated vessels and aren’t driven by the same valve failure in larger veins. Caput medusae reflects collateral venous flow from portal hypertension around the umbilicus, not leg venous valve incompetence. Stasis dermatitis is a skin reaction from chronic venous insufficiency secondary to venous hypertension, but the defining vascular change is the dilation of the superficial veins from valve failure, i.e., varicose veins.