Heredity and Varicose Veins: It’s All in the Family

Heredity and Varicose Veins: It’s All in the Family

The science is in, and if you have a parent with vein disease, you better sit down. There’s something you need to know.

If you have one parent with varicose veins, your chances of getting them too go up by 40 percent. If both your parents have had varicose veins, those odds increase by 90 percent.

Watch as Center for Vein Restoration (CVR) vein specialist Priya Thirumlai, MD, FACS, offers tips on how to spot inherited varicose veins. Dr. Thirumlai is the lead physician at CVR clinics located in Alexandria, Virginia, and Easton, Maryland, on Maryland’s famous Eastern Shore.

“It is difficult to differentiate how much of a role heredity plays vs. other risk factors. But, if you look back at your mom, dad, your grandma; how were their legs? Did they have visible signs of varicose veins, spider veins, or skin discoloration? If so, there is a possible hereditary component as a causative factor for your venous insufficiency.” – Dr. Priya Thirumlai

Moms, dads, and varicose veins. Let’s look at the studies

Genetic research has progressed significantly in the past several years, decoding the human genome (the set of instructions found in DNA) to reveal the causes of chronic vein disease and varicose veins. These studies show “a strong body of evidence indicating that heredity plays an important role in the etiology (cause) of this condition.”¹

While exploring why varicose veins seem to cluster in families, one study showed that 42 percent of women with varicose veins reported a positive family history compared with 14 percent without the disease.²

Other risk factors are still rooted in heredity

While other risk factors associated with varicose veins were also found, including age, sex, pregnancy, raised body mass index in women, and obesity, studies show that many individuals exposed to these risk factors do not develop the disease. The research concluded that these “so-called environmental risk factors may also contain substantial genetic components.”²

Honor family with a gift they actually need

Since over 40 million Americans suffer from vein disease, the chances are that someone in your family tree, including your kids, suffers from venous insufficiency (vein disease).

And because most cases are undiagnosed, you must help them understand that unchecked vein disease is likely to progress into more serious health conditions, such as skin changes and ulcers.

Be a hero to your friends and family

If you suffer from leg discomfort, swelling, restlessness, and bulging varicose veins, the chances are that your family members do, too—and they may not know that venous insufficiency (vein disease) is the cause!

By referring your special someone to a CVR vein specialist, you can be a hero that changes their life for the better! You will ensure that they receive the expert vein care they need, tailored to their specific needs, leading to accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and improved overall health outcomes.

Scheduling online is easy

Sometimes it’s not convenient to speak to a live scheduler. And sometimes, you don’t have the time or simply don’t feel like making a phone call. That’s okay because we make it easy to schedule your appointment whenever it suits you.

Click here to schedule your appointment online.

Scheduling by phone

Of course, our patient services representatives are available to answer your questions and help you schedule with a CVR vein expert near you. Call 240-965-3915.

1. Phlebology: The Journal of Venous Disease, “Evidence for a genetic role in varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency.” 2012 Oct;27(7):329-35. doi: 10.1258/phleb.2011.011030. Epub 2012