Could Warfarin Help With Varicose Veins?

Warfarin is an anticoagulant medication (commonly known as blood thinner) which is designed to improve circulation and help to prevent the formation of dangerous blood clots.

If you are suffering with varicose veins and are then prescribed warfarin treatment to improve your circulation, it is natural to hope that taking warfarin might also help to improve varicose veins in the legs.

It would be fabulous if you could take something that helped to relieve the symptoms and appearance of varicose veins, but unfortunately, that is not the case.

Although varicose veins is a vascular condition, it is not generally one that can be helped by medication. The reason is that varicose veins occur due to a breakdown in the veins themselves, rather than a failing in the condition and makeup of the blood that flows through them.

Varicose veins form when the valves within the vein become impaired. As vascular valves become inefficient, they’re unable to pump the blood back up the legs, so it starts to pool and back up within the vein. This becomes a cyclical issue as the  build up of blood within the leg vein causes additional pressure, which in turn makes it even more difficult for the inefficient valve, creating further damage and deterioration to the system.

This is why unfortunately, once varicose veins have started to appear, they’re not going to be cured by blood thinning medication, as that treats the blood not the valves. The medication may give some light relief such as easing the discomfort, but the underlying condition is likely to only get worse with time.

Can you have varicose vein surgery while on warfarin?

Some patients have been advised that they should not have varicose vein surgery if they’re taking warfarin.

However, the good news is that EVLA is a laser treatment which involves just one tiny incision. Studies have proven that Endovenous Laser Ablation is safe and effective in patients taking warfarin https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19577490/.

This means that professional vein treatment clinics such as Cosmedics’ London Vein Centre can offer the advanced laser treatment to patients who are on blood thinning medication such as warfarin.

At the London Vein Centre, there is no compromise on safety, all aspects of current and previous medication and treatment are fully discussed with the Vascular Surgeon at the consultation prior to treatment. What’s more, the London Vein Centre includes duplex scan for full and detailed diagnosis of the vein problem in order to establish the most appropriate form of treatment.

If you are on blood thinners or any other medication and want to get some advice on whether you’re able to have laser treatment for varicose veins, please contact our friendly and knowledgeable team.

Varicose Vein Removal Treatments

We offer a range of varicose vein treatments using the latest laser and surgical techniques, all carried out by our experienced Vascular Surgeon on a ‘walk in walk out’ basis with no overnight stay and no general anaesthetic:

• EVLA (endovenous laser ablation) treatment offers a 95% success rate. Cosmedics Skin Clinics offer EVLA treatment at their London vein treatment centre with a renowned vascular surgeon
• ClariVein® is a treatment which combines a mechanical with a chemical action to seal
• Foam sclerotherapy an injectable treatment for smaller varicose veins or larger thread veins
• Micro surgery for physical, surgical removal of the affected vein where necessary

For more information or to book a consultation, please complete the form on this web page or call 020 7386 0464. There’s nothing to lose but everything to gain in finding out more!