Donald Trump underwent a full vascular workup at the White House after noticing swelling in his legs, leading to a diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency, a condition common in older adults, according to a letter released Thursday (July 17) by his physician.
The 79-year-old had a “comprehensive examination, including diagnostic vascular studies,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, reading directly from a memo written by Capt. Sean Barbabella, Trump’s doctor. The letter confirmed that “bilateral lower extremity venous Doppler ultrasounds were performed and revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.”
The evaluation followed Trump’s report of “mild swelling in his lower legs” over the past few weeks, Leavitt said. Despite the diagnosis, Barbabella noted there was “no evidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or arterial disease,” and all lab results were “within normal limits.” Trump also had an echocardiogram, which showed “no signs of heart failure, renal impairment, or systemic illness.”
Chronic venous insufficiency occurs when vein valves in the legs don’t function properly, causing blood to pool. It affects roughly 150,000 people annually, with risk increasing with age. Symptoms may include swelling, aching, varicose veins or skin changes. Treatment ranges from medication to surgical procedures in more advanced cases.
“This is a pretty normal part of aging, and especially for someone in the overweight to obese category, which is where the president has always been,” said Dr. Jeremy Faust, an emergency medicine professor at Harvard Medical School, in an interview with CNN. “But the bigger concern … is that symptoms like this do need to be evaluated for more serious conditions, and that is what happened.”
Cardiologist Dr. Bernard Ashby told CNN that while the diagnosis is not immediately worrisome, it could be a sign of something more.
“Even though he’s diagnosed with a benign condition, venous insufficiency, by itself doesn’t necessarily mean it’s benign,” Ashby said. “The question is, what’s causing the venous insufficiency?”
Ashby praised the medical team for “covering all their bases” by ruling out heart failure and other related issues. Dr. Chris Pernell, a public health physician, added that age, weight and a sedentary lifestyle are all contributing factors.
“If a person is older, a person is overweight, a person is not engaging in regular physical activity or exercise, if a person is sitting or standing for prolonged amounts of time, you can get chronic venous insufficiency,” she said. “And while it is not life-threatening, it can be debilitating.”
Leavitt also addressed visible bruising on the back of Trump’s hand, attributing it to “frequent handshaking” and his use of aspirin. Barbabella confirmed in the letter, “This is consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.”
The letter concluded with a clean bill of health: “President Trump remains in excellent health.” Trump turns 80 next month and will then be the oldest U.S. president in history.
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