Deep Vein Thrombosis is a clot in blood within the deep veins of a body. The condition usually develops in the venous valve cusps and may propagate or travel to the lungs in the absence of treatment. It starts in the calf veins before growing and developing along the veins towards the heart. DVT arises from an impaired venous return in the legs or endothelial dysfunction such as after leg fractures, creating a blood clot in the blood vessel ( Olaf & Cooney, 2017) . On the other hand, Chronic Venous Insufficient is a medical condition where blood pools in the veins after being barred from flowing back to the heart due to a complication on the vein. The pathophysiology of chronic venous disease starts with the development of venous hypertension those results from obstruction of venous flow ( Bhatt et al., 2013) . This leads to venous reflux due to impaired valve function leading to blood pool in the legs. A normal venous return requires regular calf an foot muscle pumps. Therefore, problems with these symptoms result in venous insufficiency
There are several similarities between Deep Venous Thrombosis and Chronic Venous Insufficiency. Both DVT and CVI occur in deep veins within the body, usually in the legs causing pain and swelling and affecting proper flow of blood. Deep Venous Thrombosis may cause chronic Venous Insufficiency with a blood clot blocking the flow of blood through the veins, making CVI a complication of DVT ( Shaydakov, Comerota & Lurie, 2016) . Secondly, they have similar symptoms and risk factors such as swelling and age, where individuals over 50 years being at higher risk of the disease due to veins weakening and preventing sufficient blood flow to the heart.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Apart from the similarities, the two disorders also differ on a variety of aspects. The main differences between CVI and DVT are in the mode of their treatment. Chronic Venous Insufficiency does not have approved medication since it does not require medication to cure. Instead, the remedy for the condition is a variety of therapies and lifestyle changes to allow for the full functioning of the veins. On the other hand, Deep Venous Thrombosis can be cured by applying a variety of medications seeking to reduce blood clot and allow for free flow of blood.
Personal habits and behaviors can be a risk factor for both CVI and DVT. Smoking is one of the behavioral factors that cause the development of CVI and DVT in patients since it affects blood clotting and circulation. Smoking weakens the vein walls thus increasing the risk of chronic venous insufficiency. About 50 percent of DVT and CVI cases occur in heavy smokers who subject their blood vessels to harmful toxins weakening them.
Smoking dramatically increases the risk of developing CVI and DVT due to its effect in damaging the blood vessels. The chemicals in a cigarette can significantly affect the functioning of blood vessels by increasing the risk of blood clotting or hardening the veins, thus impeding blood flow ( Cheng et al., 2013). Nicotine in cigarettes causes the blood vessels to narrow and harden while other chemicals thicken the blood and reduce oxygen flow, thus slowing the overall flow of blood in the body. As such, smoking leads to some severe health conditions including CVI and DVT.
Deep Vein Thrombosis can be diagnosed using ultrasonography that checks for any abnormal vein compression by visualizing the venous lining. Other forms of diagnosis include using noninvasive alternatives such as MRI venography with the use of an intravenous contrast agent or direct MRI scanning of thrombi to provide a simultaneous view of thrombi in deep veins ( Huisman & Klok, 2013) . Additional imaging such as using CT angiography or scanning can be used if symptoms suggest PE. On the contrast, diagnosis for Chronic Venous Insufficiency is through use of vascular ultrasound, an imaging test that focuses on determining the flow of blood in the veins and how they are structured. The test also checks the speed and direction of blood flow in the leg veins.
Treatment for DVT focuses on PE prevention and symptom relief as well as looking to prevent the recurrence of DVT in a patient. The first treatment option is using anticoagulants such as heparin injection to reduce DVT recurrence and thrombus extension by catalyzing the action of anti-thrombin ( Olaf & Cooney, 2017) . Thrombolytic drugs can also be effectively used in treating DVT as well as Inferior Vena Cover filters to prevent PE in patients with recurrent DVT. Additionally, activities such as elevation of legs supported by a pillow during periods of inactivity may help reduce the risk of the condition. Patients can also wear compression stockings to prevent swelling of the legs while reducing clotting of blood.
On the other hand, there are no medications for CVI in patients. However, therapies such as vein litigation or bypass surgery to tie off the veins so that blood no longer flows through it. Sclerotherapy may be used in more severe cases of the condition where medical practitioners inject a chemical into the affected veins to scar it and affect its functioning ( Eberhardt & Raffetto, 2014) . Endovenous thermal ablation may also be used to close the involved vein and reduce blood pools in the leg while improving blood flow. Lifestyle changes such as avoiding prolonged standing or sitting and doing regular exercises can be a preventive measure while wearing compression stockings may also help in improving blood flow.
References
Bhatt, A. B., Landzberg, M. J., Gerhard-Herman, M., Rodriguez-Huertas, E., Graham, D., & Valente, A. M. (2013). Pathophysiology of chronic venous insufficiency in adults with a Fontan circulation (a pre-defined substudy of the CALF investigation). International journal of cardiology , 165 (1), 41-45.
Cheng, Y. J., Liu, Z. H., Yao, F. J., Zeng, W. T., Zheng, D. D., Dong, Y. G., & Wu, S. H. (2013). Current and former smoking and risk for venous thromboembolism: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS medicine , 10 (9), e1001515.
Eberhardt, R. T., & Raffetto, J. D. (2014). Chronic venous insufficiency. Circulation , 130 (4), 333-346.
Huisman, M. V., & Klok, F. A. (2013). Diagnostic management of acute deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis , 11 (3), 412-422.
Olaf, M., & Cooney, R. (2017). Deep venous thrombosis. Emergency Medicine Clinics , 35 (4), 743-770.
Shaydakov, M. E., Comerota, A. J., & Lurie, F. (2016). Primary venous insufficiency increases risk of deep vein thrombosis. Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders , 4 (2), 161-166.
