[Epidemiology of chronic venous diseases]. / Epidemiologie der chronischen Venenkrankheiten.

AIM: Overview of the recent knowledge in epidemiology of chronic venous diseases. METHODS: Systematic search and discussion of recent studies concerning epidemiology of chronic venous diseases. RESULTS: The more recent epidemiologic studies of venous diseases in which the CEAP classification was used showed a prevalence of 60-70 % CEAP clinical class C0 and C1, app. 25 % for C2 and C3 and up to 5 % for C4 to C6 with skin changes or venous ulcers. The incidence of varicose veins is app. 2 % per year. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic venous diseases like varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency belong to the most frequent diseases in our adult population.