CVU is a serious problem - especially for older people
CVU develop and persist because diseased veins cannot return blood effectively to the heart7, damaging skin and tissue. If left untreated, they can lead to infection, prolonged pain, and disability7.
As populations age, chronic venous disease becomes more common, progressing from heaviness and swelling in the legs to skin changes and, in some cases, ulceration. These wounds can limit movement, reduce social participation, and increase the risk of complications and recurrence, making day-to-day life particularly hard for older adults. Currently, European vascular guidelines8 stress timely diagnosis and compression-based care pathways, which, with proper assessment and specialist-led management, can support healing and help prevent recurrence.
Who is at risk?
Well-known risk factors9 include advanced age, higher body weight, and physical inactivity - often in combination with varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency (CVI).
Addressing Hard-to-Heal Venous Ulcers Together
Against this backdrop, AOP Health reaffirms its commitment to addressing high unmet medical needs - including therapy-resistant CVU - raising disease awareness, and by partnering with research-focused companies such as RHEACELL, a Germany-based biotech enterprise.