As many as 35% of people struggle with varicose veins. While they’re often regarded as a cosmetic issue, you might wonder if they indicate something more serious, such as heart disease.
If you’ve just been diagnosed with varicose veins and are wondering if your heart health is at risk, take a moment as Muthu Velusamy, MD, FACC, ABVM, and the Cardiovascular Institute of America explain the link between varicose veins and heart disease.
Your veins are part of your vascular network — a large system of blood vessels that circulates blood to every part of your body. Arteries and the aforementioned veins are two types of blood vessels in this system.
While your arteries carry oxygen-rich blood out of your heart, veins do the opposite. They bring blood back to your heart so it can get re-oxygenated.
This also means that the veins in your legs must fight against gravity to return blood to your heart. Your veins feature special one-way valves to help assist with this process. The valves prevent your blood from flowing backward.
Varicose veins are enlarged, twisted veins that often appear blue or dark purple. They’re primarily found on the lower half of your body, including your legs, ankles, and feet.
They occur when those one-way valves become weakened or damaged. When this happens, blood flows backward, pools up, and causes the tell-tale blue lumps. Large varicose veins may also make your legs feel heavy or achy.
While varicose veins can be unsightly and uncomfortable, they’re generally not a direct sign of heart disease. They primarily result from issues within the veins themselves (and a condition called chronic venous insufficiency), rather than from heart function.
Heart disease focuses on your heart rather than the blood vessels that supply it. It’s actually a range of conditions — not a single one — that affect your heart's structure and function, including coronary artery disease, heart attacks, heart failure, arrhythmias, and congenital heart defects.
However, both varicose veins and heart disease can stem from similar risk factors, including age, obesity, family history, and leading a sedentary lifestyle.
In other words, you may have one (or several) risk factors that contribute to both varicose veins and heart disease.
While varicose veins themselves aren’t typically a sign of heart disease, certain symptoms should prompt you to seek medical advice. These include:
You don’t have to wait for varicose veins to become uncomfortable before you reach out for help. Dr. Velusamy can evaluate your veins and determine the best course of action for you.
Just like varicose veins and heart disease share many risk factors, they also share several prevention strategies.
Regular exercise improves circulation throughout your body and can help maintain healthy veins. When you walk, your calf muscles squeeze your veins and help push blood up your leg.
Physical activity also supports your entire cardiovascular system. Try to fit in five 30-minute sessions each week for a total of 150 minutes of exercise.
Obesity can increase your risk of both heart disease and varicose veins. Losing weight can alleviate some pressure on your veins.
Not only does weight loss help with varicose veins, but it can also help reduce your risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.
Foods that are good for your heart are also good for your veins. A heart-friendly diet includes fresh fruits and vegetables, 100% whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
Avoid (or at least limit) refined foods, white pasta and bread, fruit packed in sugar syrup, fried foods, and foods high in sodium.
As a cardiovascular disease and vein specialist, Dr. Velusamy understands both heart disease and varicose veins, as well as the connection between them. Depending on your needs, he may recommend:
Prioritize your cardiovascular health and give us a call at 813-610-9510. You can also use our online booking tool to schedule an appointment today.
