What can venous hypertension lead to?

Venous hypertension occurs when there is increased pressure within the venous system, often resulting from conditions such as venous obstruction or valve incompetence. This heightened pressure can lead to excessive fluid leakage into the interstitial spaces surrounding the veins, causing edema. The increased hydrostatic pressure in the veins forces fluid out of the capillaries and into the surrounding tissue, which is what causes swelling and can lead to complications like skin discoloration, ulcerations, or chronic venous insufficiency.

While increased blood pressure and restricted blood flow to the heart are associated with other cardiovascular issues, they are not the direct outcomes of venous hypertension. Additionally, reduction in arterial pressure is not typically a result of venous hypertension; in fact, arterial pressure can remain unaffected or even elevated in the presence of venous issues. The primary impact of venous hypertension is thus the excessive fluid accumulation in the tissues due to increased venous pressure.