Venous/Arterial Insuffciency

[silverhalide]

Can someone explain to me what the difference is between these as far as signs and symptoms? Color of skin etc.. I know the pathophys of them, just not sure as far as assessment.

Thanks!

:)

[Muffy5]

Well in venous insufficiency, the blood is unable to return to the heart, therefore, it pools in the extremities. This causes discoloration of the legs (brownish color due to lysis of RBC's), the patient usually has varicose veins (often the cause for venous insufficiency), these are the patients with the wet and weepy wounds, there is edema and sometimes the skin becomes the skin becomes so tight, that it actually cracks and leaks the fluids.

As for arterial insufficiency, think of what the skin would look like without adequate blood flow, the patient is going to have decreased pulses, pallor of the extremities, possible dry wounds (black, think diabetic ulcers), and the patient will probably have numbness, tingling and loss of sensation due to decreased blood flow. The person will also most likely have little to no hair on the legs (may be normal for that culture), due to lack of blood flow to nourish hair growth.

Hope that helped...:)

[9livesRN, BSN, RN]

there was a little trick that i used:

V venous (doesn't it look like 2 legs up?) so then raise the legs to decrease pooling, edema, increase circulation... plumpy looking legs

A arterial (now doesn't those look like dangling legs ?) so you can increase perfusion... shinny legs, with hair loss... (not enough o2)

just a little thing to remember!

[silverhalide]

Thanks, very helpful!