President of the United States, Donald Trump, has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency after experiencing mild swelling in his lower legs, the White House has confirmed.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said tests carried out by the White House medical team revealed that Mr Trump has the condition, which is common among older adults and occurs when weakened valves in the veins fail to assist blood flow against gravity, causing it to pool.
“The tests showed that President Trump has chronic venous insufficiency,” Ms Leavitt said. “This occurs when the valves in the veins no longer function properly.”
She also addressed speculation surrounding recent photographs showing visible bruising on the back of Mr Trump’s hand, partly concealed with makeup that did not match his skin tone. Ms Leavitt said the bruising was “consistent with irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin”.
She added that the former president takes aspirin to reduce his risk of heart attack and stroke.
