chronic venous insufficiency

noun

: a condition in which the flow of blood from the legs to the heart is impaired chiefly as a result of weakened or damaged valves in the veins of the legs and that is characterized especially by edema, pain, and discoloration in the lower legs
Left untreated, chronic venous insufficiency can progress to painful ulcers and limit mobility, yet many patients delay care because symptoms may seem like a normal part of aging.Sara Berg
Venous disease in general is very common. For example, varicose veins affect about 1 in 3 adults. Each year, about 1 in 50 adults with varicose veins go on to develop chronic venous insufficiency.Cleveland Clinic
abbreviation CVI

Examples of chronic venous insufficiency in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In July, he was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition in older adults that causes blood to pool in his veins. ABC News, 26 May 2026 Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency in July of 2025, after several photos of the president showed swelling in his legs and bruising on his hands. Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 26 May 2026 The White House said the swelling around the ankles was due to chronic venous insufficiency or CVI, which occurs when leg veins fail to send blood back to the heart properly, and the bruising on the back of his hand was caused by frequent handshaking and aspirin. Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 26 May 2026 Last summer, Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, which occurs when veins become damaged and struggle to send blood back to the heart. Luke Garrett, NPR, 25 May 2026 The White House acknowledged last year that Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency. Patrick Whittle, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026 He’s also been seen with swollen ankles, which could be attributed to chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition in elderly people the White House revealed last year Trump had been diagnosed with. Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chronic venous insufficiency was in 1943

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Cite this Entry

“Chronic venous insufficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chronic%20venous%20insufficiency. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

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