In India, CVI rarely receives the medical attention it deserves. It is often dismissed as a natural sign of ageing or poor lifestyle, leading to underdiagnosis and undertreatment.
Published Jul 18, 2025 | 9:43 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 18, 2025 | 9:43 PM
Trump’s case has cast a rare spotlight on a condition that is both widespread and poorly understood.
Synopsis: US President Donald Trump’s diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) has drawn attention to a vascular condition that affects nearly 15–20 percent of Indians but often goes undiagnosed. In India, CVI is frequently dismissed as a normal part of ageing, with symptoms like leg swelling and heaviness ignored due to lack of awareness, financial constraints, and cultural stigma.
From newsrooms in Washington to medical forums around the world, US President Donald Trump’s reported diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) has sparked renewed global attention on this often-overlooked vascular issue. The condition arises when the veins in the legs struggle to return blood efficiently to the heart.
For India, this moment serves as a wake-up call. Studies suggest that around 15 to 20 percent of Indians suffer from some form of venous disease, including varicose veins and CVI.
While not typically life-threatening, CVI can lead to persistent leg swelling, pain, heaviness, itching, skin discolouration, and, in severe cases, painful ulcers. In addition to that, CVI can be a red flag for deeper problems like deep vein thrombosis.
Yet, in India, CVI rarely receives the medical attention it deserves. It is often dismissed as a natural sign of ageing or poor lifestyle, leading to underdiagnosis and undertreatment.
Trump’s case has cast a rare spotlight on a condition that is both widespread and poorly understood in the Indian context, and given us a timely opportunity to ask critical questions:
Why do early signs of chronic conditions like CVI go unnoticed or ignored? Why are older adults in India reluctant to seek timely diagnosis and care? And most importantly, what is the societal cost of this delayed diagnosis and neglect?
Across urban and rural India, reluctance towards medical diagnosis, especially for non-life-threatening, chronic conditions like CVI, is a common problem.
Several intertwined socio-economic and cultural factors drive this hesitancy:
Ignoring CVI in its early stages can lead to avoidable suffering and complications. As the condition progresses, it does not get better; rather, it can become far worse.
From an annoying guest who overstays their welcome, it can become a serious problem, especially when it causes painful venous ulcers – open sores that can get infected and take months to heal. CVI can diminish the quality of life drastically.
Moreover, CVI can sometimes be a warning sign for serious issues. Timely evaluation can uncover problems like deep vein thrombosis, obesity-related vascular problems, or sedentary lifestyle complications, health and kidney problems – all of which also demand medical attention.
Early diagnosis can prevent these outcomes. With proper interventions like using compression stockings, making lifestyle changes, and minor outpatient procedures, most patients can manage CVI effectively and continue to live full, active lives. Conversely, untreated CVI becomes harder and costlier to manage as complications mount.
Donald Trump’s diagnosis may not be a huge health crisis, but it should serve as a reminder for India to re-evaluate its own attitudes towards elderly healthcare.
As our population ages, India is projected to have more than 300 million people over the age of 60 by 2050, and conditions like CVI will become even more common.
We need public health campaigns that normalise conversations around ageing and chronic conditions. And just like increased screening for diabetes and hypertension, vascular health should be part of regular assessments too. “Just leg pain” could be something more, and catching it early could save much suffering.
CVI may not be a fatal life-threatening disorder, but it can pose to be life-altering if ignored. In addition to that, India’s challenge is not just medical, but also cultural. The reluctance to seek diagnosis, driven by cost, stigma, and misinformation, is harming our elderly in silence.
Trump’s CVI diagnosis may be just another international headline, but for India, it can be a catalyst to examine how we treat the health of our ageing citizens.
