Scholl logo

HCP > Indications > Venous ulcers

Venous ulcers

Venous ulcer

Venous ulcer

Venous ulcer

A burden on Primary Care

  • Over 80% cared for in the community1
  • Cost to the NHS £600 million p.a. approx1

The prevention of
venous ulcers

Venous ulcers are a serious consequence of venous insufficiency.

  • Venous ulcers affect 1% of the British population during their lifetime1
  • 60-80% of those ulcers are associated with venous insufficiency1

Reducing the initial occurrence of venous ulcers can be achieved by using graduated compression hosiery to:

  • Manage varicose veins - click here for more information about varicose veins
  • Prevent post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) following DVT - click here for more information about PTS

Reducing the recurrence of
venous ulcers

Preventing the recurrence of venous ulcers represents a significant but worthwhile challenge as it offers substantial benefits to patients’ future quality of life. Preventing future recurrences also offers considerable cost benefits to the PCT.

The benefits of compression hosiery

percentage of venous ulcer recurrence after 5 years was 30% with stockings and 84% without

It has been shown that patients who wear graduated compression hosiery every day have a significantly increased chance of avoiding further venous ulceration.

In the following 5-year study it was shown that only 30% of those who routinely wore compression stockings suffered a recurrence of venous ulcers. In contrast, 84% of those who did not wear compression stockings suffered a further venous ulcer.2

Guidelines

As a consequence of this and similar data, the Royal College of Nursing has affirmed that wearing compression hosiery can reduce the recurrence of leg ulcers and has noted this in their Practice Guidelines.

‘Use of compression stockings reduces venous ulcer recurrence rates’ 3

Similarly, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) state that:

‘Correctly fitted graduation compression hosiery should be prescribed for at least 5 years for all patients who have successfully healed their venous leg ulcer. It is likely that compression will be required indefinitely unless the underlying haemodynamic abnormality has been fully corrected.’ 1

Compression hosiery can also help prevent the initial occurrence of venous ulcers. For more information, click here.

  1. Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. The Care of Patients with Chronic Leg Ulcer. SIGN Publication No 26, July 1998
  2. Dinn E, Henry M. Treatment of venous ulceration by Injection Sclerotherapy and Compression Hosiery; A 5-Year Study. Phlebology 1992; 7: 23-26
  3. Royal College of Nursing clinical practice guidelines. The management of patients with venous leg ulcers. 1998

top of page