Blood conditions

Question 1

What are varicose veins?

Answer 1

swelling or bulging of veins
may appear twisted, blue
as a result of weakening or damage to the small valves which open and close to control blood flow
blood collects in the vein
can be treated using pressure stockings

Question 2

What is deep vein thrombosis?

Answer 2

when a blood clot is formed in the vein
Impaired venous return (eg, in immobilized patients, inactivity)
Endothelial injury or dysfunction (eg, after leg fractures)
Hypercoagulability
If the wall of a blood vessel is damaged, it may become narrowed or blocked, which can cause a blood clot to form.
During pregnancy, blood clots more easily. It’s the body’s way of preventing too much blood being lost during childbirth.

Question 3

Venous ulcers

Answer 3

arise when venous valves that exist to prevent backflow of blood do not function properly, causing the pressure in veins to increase
a venous ulcer is a long-lasting (chronic) sore that takes more than four to six weeks to heal. They usually develop on the inside of the leg, just above the ankle.
A venous leg ulcer can develop after a minor injury if there’s a problem with the circulation of blood in your leg veins. If this happens, pressure inside the veins increases.

Question 4

What is an aneurysm?

Answer 4

it begins as a weak spot in the blood vessel wall, which balloons out of shape over time by the force of the pumping blood. Usually, aneurysms develop at the point where a blood vessel branches, because the ‘fork’ is structurally more vulnerable.
Local arterial pressure exceeds the capacity of the elastic components of the tunics.
The artery can suffer a catastrophic blowout
aneurysm in the brain- can cause strokes
or in the aorta- cause fatal bleeding