When considering foot problems, cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons have traditionally worked together to address issues related to ischemic heart disease and arteriosclerosis obliterans. Today, we are treating chronic venous insufficiency, including varicose veins, along with our foot clinic. It is common for varicose veins to be referred from cardiology to surgery. Conversely, there have been few referrals from venous issues to internal medicine for systemic diseases. Literature indicates that chronic venous insufficiency often coexists with atherosclerotic lesions. Our research at the hospital has shown that 35% of chronic venous insufficiency patients have a coronary artery calcium score of 100 or higher (moderate to severe coronary artery calcification) (IRB 2023062). Previously, only foot treatment was provided without thorough investigations for angina and other conditions. By adopting a perspective that considers both the feet and the whole body, we believe that the Heart Center can uniquely offer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for these high-risk groups of asymptomatic angina. Additionally, heart failure is frequently diagnosed in patients visiting the foot clinic.

Patients often suffer from symptoms such as swelling and pain in the legs without knowing which hospital or department to consult. We frequently hear that patients did not expect the Heart Center, which specializes in the heart, to also treat lower limb veins. By naming it Center for Leg Health & Vein Care, we hope to make it more accessible and approachable for those with lower limb venous diseases. Our goal is to cultivate this previously nonexistent field within the Heart Center as a part of total vascular care, aiming to protect the health of both lower limb veins and the entire body.

• Continue to function as the primary contact for foot problems at the Gifu Heart Center.

• Improve patients’ quality of life by diagnosing, treating, and caring for chronic lower limb venous insufficiency, with a focus on leg swelling, from both a local and systemic perspective.

• Implement the Gifu Heart Center’s 4S specialty and science to solve daily clinical questions through research and feedback these findings into everyday practice for the benefit of all patients with lower limb venous issues.

• Contribute to patients and society through multifaceted education and enlightenment activities.

Cafeteria events, Foot Day on February 10, 2024, radio broadcasts, and lectures.

The first regional meeting of the Tokai Vein Society was held in February 2024.

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