What are symptoms of peripheral venous disease?

• A. High fever and rapid heartbeat
• B. Sharp chest pain
• C. Weak peripheral pulses, brittle skin, wounds that don't heal, and swelling of the legs
• D. Frequent urinary incontinence

Answer: (C)

Peripheral venous disease occurs when veins in the legs don’t return blood efficiently, causing pooling and higher venous pressure. This leads to edema (leg swelling), skin changes (dry, brittle or thinned skin and dermatitis), and wounds or ulcers that heal slowly or not at all. Those features together—swollen legs, damaged skin, and nonhealing leg wounds—best describe the symptoms of venous insufficiency. The other options describe issues more typical of infections, chest/pHeart problems, or unrelated urinary symptoms, which aren’t characteristic of peripheral venous disease.