Patient was instructed regarding pathophysiology of varicose veins as follows:
- Draining of blood from the upper body to the heart, such as, head and neck, to the heart, is mainly dependent on gravity, which is a force acting downward in the direction of blood flow.
- Draining of venous blood from the lower parts of the body, such as, both lower extremities and abdomen, to the heart, happens to be an issue, as this volume of blood has to travel up to reach the heart, against gravity. As gravity is a force acting downward, gravity opposes this flow of blood in the upward direction.
- To help the volume of blood travel up the lower limbs to the heart, veins in the lower limbs have cup –shaped valves, which act in only one direction, continuously pushing the blood up the lower parts of the body to the heart. Contraction of muscles in the lower limbs during ambulation and activity also help with pumping of blood in the veins, up the limbs, towards the heart.
- In senior individuals, owing to their age, the valves of the veins pushing the blood against gravity are poorly functional and consequently fail to push the blood, up the limbs to the heart. Also, sedentary lifestyle and reduced muscle tone in older individuals contribute to reduced force pumping blood in the upward direction and consequently result in distended veins and capillaries with increased accumulation of blood.
- These distended veins with flooded capillaries, mostly noted in lower extremities, are called varicose veins.
