White House doctors have diagnosed President Donald Trump with chronic venous insufficiency after he noticed swelling in his legs, the White House announced Thursday.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump, 79, recently underwent testing to examine the swelling, which included diagnostic vascular studies and an ultrasound of his legs, revealing the vein condition.Â
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, chronic venous insufficiency occurs when veins in the legs struggle to allow blood to flow back up to the heart, often as a result of damaged valves in the veins. The condition affects about 1 in 20 adults.
Leavitt provided the health update amid online speculation about visible swelling around Trump’s ankles and bruises on his hands, the latter of which she said was attributable to his “frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin.”
While chronic venous insufficiency is not life-threatening, according to the Cleveland Clinic, it can lead to serious complications if left untreated—including leg ulcers, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, and secondary lymphedema. There is no cure for the condition, but compression therapy and exercise can help manage symptoms.
Leavitt said that testing found no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease and an echocardiogram showed normal cardiac structure and function. She also said that all results from testing were “within normal limits” and that an echocardiogram showed “normal cardiac structure and function.”
“The President remains in excellent health,” Leavitt said, noting that the White House will release a memo from his physician.
She added that Trump is not feeling any discomfort from the conditions.
Trump underwent his annual physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in April. A report from his doctor found that the President was “in excellent health” at the time, according to the White House.
