President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency

The White House said Thursday that President Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that occurs when veins have trouble returning blood to the heart effectively.

White House press secretary Carolyn Levitt announced the diagnosis while describing the swelling in Trump's legs and bruising in his hands in recent weeks.

The president's physician, Sean Barbera, said in a memo that Trump noticed slight swelling in his calves and then underwent a comprehensive examination that led to the diagnosis. Barbera also said the condition is "benign" and more common in people over 70 (Trump is 79).

Chronic venous insufficiency affects an estimated 10% to 35% of American adults, and the risk increases with age, according to Prakash Krishnan, director of endovascular services at Mount Sinai Foster Heart Hospital in New York. The disease most often occurs in the legs, causing swelling (which the president suffered from), but other symptoms may include varicose veins, pain, discomfort and, in rare cases, venous ulcers, which are unusually slow to heal.