"The Know" is an informational resource concerning vein treatment options. It contains valuable information for prospective patients, physicians as well as those in the vein treatment industry. We will be regularly posting educational articles, video logs and other pertinent information. We encourage your feedback and welcome any suggestions that you feel may improve the blog.
|
Monday, May 18, 2009
|
|
Wives Tales or Truth?
|
For years the claim buzzing around the ears of many women is that varicose
veins are induced by crossing your legs. Is this an old wives tail or is
there some validity to the claims? By age 50 a large percentage of men and
women are said to develop gnarled, ropy and unattractive varicose or spider
veins. Nearly 40 million Americans alone have signs of venous disease.
Studies have shown that for women lack of exercise, smoking, pregnancy and
long-haul travel may be inciters. No study has yet to link crossing legs to
directly causing the vein health issue.
The New York Times said, "Standing or engaging in sedentary activities for
more than eight hours a day increased the risk as well - a finding that has
been borne out in European studies of people whose jobs require them to be
on their feet, like nurses. Other studies have pointed to pregnancy as
another major contributor. But perhaps the easiest way to determine your
risk is to consult your family tree - more than 80 percent of people with
varicose veins have at least one parent with them."
Of course prolonged hours on end sitting or standing cross legged or not has
the ability to adversely affect your vein health, but experts still have not
proven that crossing your legs alone directly induces varicose veins.
|
|
|
Friday, May 15, 2009
|
|
Insurance Shifts
|
Some industry observers are saying that varicose vein treatments will become
less affordable for elderly patients on Medicare in Australia. It is being
said that private treatment for venous disease is likely to be difficult for
the budgets of pensioners, leaving many of the 40 million people plagued
with gnarled veins quite unhappy.
WA Today said, "In this week's federal budget the Government capped safety
net payments for particular varicose vein remedies, saying doctors had
charged excessive fees. Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon challenged
specialists to reduce their fees, saying most of the safety-net money was
going into doctors' pockets rather than reducing costs for patients."
Physicians in the field however have said that these increased prices at
private clinics were due to new, less invasive, efficient and effective
technologies and treatments in the industry. And that physicians were not
pocketing the extra money.
|
|
|
Thursday, May 14, 2009
|
|
Stop the Clot Campaign
|
In recent weeks all I have been reading about in papers and online news
sources is Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and varicose veins. From prevention
methods to tour buses travelling around assessing peoples blood clot risks,
DVT awareness is everywhere. Now in the spotlight is the Stop the Clot
Campaign in Europe.
The Essex Harlow Herald said, "The lifesaving Stop the Clot campaign was
launched by the charity Anticoagulation Europe in a bid to stop needless
deaths and has been supported by MPs, celebrities and hospitals across the
region, including Harlow's Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH). Sarah Ayton,
deep vein thrombosis (DVT) specialist at PAH says: "We have seen an increase
in patients asking for a risk assessment."
The campaign has been considered a huge success in promoting the dangers,
risks and treatments involved in DVT.
|
|
|
Thursday, May 14, 2009
|
|
DVT Day
|
Lawmakers in Minnesota recognized May 12th as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
awareness day on Capitol Hill (in Minnesota). As many advocates of DVT
awareness will tell you, education and information are vital to vein health
and preventing death and serious problems associated with DVT.
NBC News affiliate in Minnesota reported, "Deep-vein thrombosis or DVT is a
disease where a blood clot forms usually in the large veins of the legs or
pelvic area. DVT can become deadly when a the blood clot breaks off and
travels to the lungs causing a pulmonary embolism, according to a report
cited by the Coalition to Prevent Deep-vein Thrombosis."
Over 300,000 people each year are said to die from DVT-related causes. This
is because simple issues like dehydration and long-haul flights stifle blood
flow through the veins and can promote DVT-like clots.
|
|
|
Thursday, May 14, 2009
|
|
Thinners and Blood Clot Risks
|
Nearly 1 million Americans suffer from Deep Vein Thrombosis or pulmonary
embolisms each year, many of which have resulted in death. DVT is a serious
problem that should be treated appropriately and immediately. Generally DVT
is found in people dealing with cancer, trauma, surgery or stroke. Risk
factors are heightened with patients over the age of 50 and those of which
that smoke. Because the risk factors vary and are considerably common,
physicians urge people to become aware of the treatments and preventative
methods availble for DVT.
The Baltimore Sun reported on blood thinners and DVT saying, "DVT is usually
treated with blood thinners that prevent the clot from growing and allow the
body's own clot-busting machinery to dissolve the clot slowly. Initial
treatment of a clot usually involves giving heparin by vein or under the
skin. These medicines work quickly."
For people constantly dealing with long-haul travel, it may be a wise
decision to invest in compression socks with hopes of increasing blood flow
in the veins and preventing DVT from occuring more quickly or dramatically.
|
|
|
Monday, May 11, 2009
|
|
Covidien Spreading
|
Covidien Ltd has reported to the Associated Press that it plans to purchase
VNUS Medical Technologies for $440 million which Covidien believes will be
completed by the end of June. The varicose vein and venous disease industry
is said to be dramatically increasing as minimally invasive techniques and
procedures become more innovative, effective and cost efficient.
Forbes reported on the purchase saying, "San Jose, Calif.-based VNUS makes
products that treat varicose veins and venous reflux disease, a circulatory
condition that causes blood to pool in the veins of the leg. That can cause
swollen veins and discolored skin. Covidien said it is expanding its
vascular business by buying VNUS, and it will make VNUS part of its vascular
product line."
Similarly, VNUS is considered to be one of the most reputable firms in the
industry of varicose vein removal. As the industry begins to spread and
grow, many advocates for prevention hope that awareness about the diseases
and treatments will also boost.
|
|
|
Friday, May 08, 2009
|
|
DVT Bus Making Rounds
|
In light of the recent focus and headlines about Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT),
the Coalition to Prevent DVT has organized a bus to travel around the US
providing people with risk assessments for venous disease as well as
offering information about treatments, symptoms and prevention methods.
National Alliance for Thrombosis and Thrombophilia (NATT) said, "There is a
special presentation beginning at 11:30am. Melanie Bloom, former NBC
correspondent David Bloom's wife, and Dr. Mark Reding, Assistant Professor
and Director of the Center for Bleeding and Clotting Disorders, will
discuss DVT and share personal experiences. This event is in collaboration
with the Coalition to Prevent DVT, the University of Minnesota Medical
Center and the National Alliance for Thrombosis & Thrombophilia."
Hundreds of thousands of people in the US die each year from DVT related
health issues, NATT coupled with advocates like Melanie Bloom are hoping to
raise awareness and education about venous disease as well as provide the
public with information about available treatments of not only DVT, but
varicose and spider veins as well.
|
|
|
Thursday, May 07, 2009
|
|
Spreading Awareness and Help
|
In general the style of varicose and spider veins that physicians in the US
see staunchly differ from that of some second and third world countries
where patients lack the awareness and treatments we have readily
accessible. Dr. Garth Rosenberg took his vascular surgery expertise
overseas to Honduras where he donated tools, taught techniques and gave
treatments to many people plagued with some of the worst cases of venous
disease.
Dr. Rosenberg said to the Frederick News, "Working through the
Wisconsin-based Hackett-Hemwall Foundation, Rosenberg and 23 other vascular
surgeons provided free treatment of varicose veins to 1,500 Hondurans at
three sites. Rosenberg was stationed in Tela, a town on the country's
northern coast. The varicose veins Rosenberg treated in Honduras are not the
cosmetic spider veins some may think of, he said."These are severe,
end-stage venous diseases that need significant attention," he said."
Rosenberg an his colleagues did not implement the same treatments we use in
the US, rather they used injections to compress the veins inciting the body
to redirect blood flow. Although Rosenberg said he is proud of the
awareness and treatment he spread in Honduras, he said he hopes to bring
more, because currently such treatments take weeks of recovery with
compression socks and also he only visits once a year.
|
|
|
Thursday, May 07, 2009
|
|
Urine Test Finding DVT
|
A high level of the protein albumin that is found in urine tests may
indicate increased risks of developing vein clots including Deep Vein
Thrombosis (DVT). This research has come out on the wake of DVT making
headlines. DVT news had been all over the news from DVT awareness month to
the dangers associated with long haul flights. For people who are high risk
patients, especially those with varicose veins should consider taking
precautions like compression socks or even urine tests to assess their
risks.
AJC Media Solutions reported on the study saying, "Tests to detect albumin
and other proteins in the urine now are commonly done to help assess the
risk of problems caused by damage to the arteries, which carry blood from
the heart. Those tests now generally are done in people in people known to
be at risk because of conditions including diabetes and high blood pressure.
Those conditions can reduce the function of kidneys, which remove proteins
from the blood. This latest study indicates that such a urine test could
also help assess the risk of problems in the veins, which carry blood back
to the heart, said Dr. Ron T. Gansevoort, an associate professor of
nephrology at Groningen, who oversaw the research."
This may be a huge step forward for the field of vein health because there
are currently no tests that check for DVT, only instead high risk patients
that end up with the symptoms and thus get treated.
|
|
|
Thursday, May 07, 2009
|
|
Dermatology Clinics Keeping Abreast with Venous Disease
|
Dermatology clinics are starting to jump on the vein health bandwagon. In a
constantly evolving industry with constant revamps and new treatments for
varicose, spider veins and Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), dermatologists are
now being trained to treat such ailments. The industry is quite lucrative,
especially since many of these procedures are not covered by insurance,
generally the procedures that are covered by insurance are invasive surgical
stripping.
Some reports have been released about clinics around the nation opening up
vein health arms, or bringing in tools and teaching the techniques of
removal and laser treatment to staff. The industry of vein health has also
come to the forefront of many in the medical industry as the potential for
profit and innovative tools has blossomed dramatically. Some industry
observers say by 2013 the industry of vein health will be at it's peak.
|
|
|
|
|
|
