Chronic venous insufficiency and the therapeutic effects of Daflon 500 mg.

Chronic venous insufficiency is linked to venous hypertension and forces of shear stress on the endothelium. Venous hypertension depends upon two forces: the weight of a column of blood from the right atrium transmitted through the valveless vena cava and iliac veins to the femoral vein, and pressure generated by contracting skeletal muscles of the leg transmitted through failed perforating veins. When valve failure occurs in superficial axial veins and perforating veins, the venous pressure in the veins and venules of the skin and subcutaneous tissue is raised. The skin changes in chronic venous insufficiency are directly related to the severity of the venous hypertension. Also, pathologic changes in the valves are linked to venous hypertension and leukocyte infiltration and activation. It is hypothesized that acute venous pressure elevations cause a shift in the venous hemodynamics with changes in wall shear stress. This initiates the inflammatory cascade. Daflon 500 mg ameliorates the effects of chronic inflammation. In randomized trials, 60 days of therapy with Daflon at a dosage of 500 mg 2 tablets daily was effective, in addition to elastic compression, in accelerating venous ulcer healing. Because venous insufficiency is linked to venous hypertension and an inflammatory reaction, it appears that Daflon 500 mg 2 tablets daily shows a great potential for accomplishing blockade of the inflammatory cascade.