The White House Thursday announced that President Donald Trump is suffering from a chronic vein condition, after days of speculation regarding photographs showing bruising on the president’s hand.
After recently experiencing swelling in his legs, Trump underwent a “comprehensive exam” including a diagnostic vascular study, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Ms Leavitt said Trump’s bruised hand was consistent with “tissue damage from frequent handshaking” while taking aspirin, which she said is “part of a standard cardio-vascular prevention regimen”.
Mr. Trump, 79, has regularly touted his good health and once described himself as “the healthiest president that’s ever lived”.
The vein condition discovered in the recent exam is called chronic venous insufficiency, which occurs when leg veins fail to pump blood to the heart, causing it to pool in the lower limbs, which can then become swollen.
According to the National Institutes of Health, the underlying cause of the disease is typically malfunctioning venous valves, which can cause blood to pool the extremities.
The White House also released a copy of the memorandum describing Trump’s diagnosis in more detail Thursday afternoon:
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Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) affects more than 25 million adults in the U.S
CVI occurs when the valves in the legs don’t work correctly, which causes blood to pool, putting increased pressure on the veins. It tends to affect both legs, though it can occur in just one.
There are a variety of risk factors for chronic venous insufficiency. The condition is most common in people who are middle-aged or older, since veins naturally weaken over time.
Other risk factors include a family history of CVI, being overweight or obese, and having a history of blood clots in the legs. Standing for long periods of time can also play a role, according to research.
Generally, however, most people are able to successfully manage the condition, and it does not affect life expectancy
