Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) are open lesions below the knee associated with venous disease, requiring more than two weeks to heal.¹ They represent the most prevalent type of leg ulcers and have a profound impact patients' quality of life.²  

In the United States, more than 11 million men and 22 million women aged 40 to 80 years have varicose veins, and more than 2 million adults have advanced chronic venous disease, with skin changes or VLUs.¹ The importance of accurate diagnosis for effective management of venous leg ulcers is emphasized. The key to successful management of VLUs is accurate diagnosis and subsequent treatment through comprehensive holistic assessment.³  

This microlearn will provide background on venous disease and review VLU pathophysiology and risk factors. Frontline treatment, including compression therapy, is also discussed.