Venous disease and compression therapy in the elderly

Abstract

Practice in a geriatric environment shows the importance and high incidence of vascular diseases and especially those of chronic venous insufficiency of the lower limbs and its complications, as well as those of venous thrombo-embolic disease. This elderly population has two essential essential features: polypathology and many drugs.
In this context, compression therapy is important, especially to prevent venous ulcers and venous thromboembolism after surgery or acute medical ill conditions. Indeed, venous thromboembolism therapy by long-term anticoagulant treatments involves, in addition to major hemorrhagic risks, risks in case of renal failure or drug, interactions. However, the compression therapy of elderly patients is not always easy to adopt, with its precautions, its contraindications, its risks, its practical difficulties and especially of observance. Other pathologies frequently met this difficult or impossible task: decompensated heart failure, sensory neuropathy, diabetic angiopathy; and especially as their symptoms may be masked or attenuated in the physiologically elderly subject. The goal is effective and well tolerated compression therapy. The key is not to harm “Primum non nocere”.