The 1999 French Venous Disease Survey: Epidemiology, management, and patient profiles

A recent (1999) Sofres survey of representative samples of the adult French population aged 15 and over showed that almost half this population suffer ed from lower limb venous complaints and that 43% of them were untreated. O f those treated, 24.2% received venotropics, including 21.5% by prescriptio n, while 6.0% practiced self-medication. Venous disease sufferers form a re latively underprivileged sector of the population in terms not only of age, income, work and living conditions, but also of general health and medical history. Despite its clinical efficacy and potential social utility, venot ropic treatment is possible only if backed by adequate state health insuran ce coverage supplemented by mutual and private insurance schemes. Any restr iction to such coverage will only decrease access to prescription venotropi cs.