White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed that President Trump, 79, has been diagnosed with the vein condition known as chronic venous insufficiency, after undergoing testing when noticing swelling in his legs. Photos of the president at the Cup World Cup soccer final in New Jersey over the weekend fueled speculation over his health, after he was seen with noticeably swollen ankles.

According to Johns Hopkins and the Cleveland Clinic, chronic venous insufficiency occurs when veins in the legs struggle to allow blood to flow back up to the heart. Leavitt said the president underwent a thorough health examination after he noticed mild swelling in his legs, and the examination revealed no evidence of more serious conditions like deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease. Leavitt said the president’s physician says he remains in excellent overall health.

At the White House briefing on Thursday, Leavitt read a note from the president’s physician, which stated that the president was “thoroughly evaluated” by the White House medical unit “out of an abundance of caution” after noticing swelling in recent weeks: “the president underwent a comprehensive examination, including diagnostic vascular studies. Bilateral lower extremity venous Doppler ultrasounds were performed, and reformed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.” The letter said there was “no evidence” of blood clots or arterial disease.

The president underwent multiple tests, including a complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, and coagulation profile, with “all results were within normal limits.” Leavitt added that an echocardiogram was performed and confirmed normal cardiac structure and function, where “no signs of heart function, renal impairment or systemic illness were identified.”

The White House press secretary also referred to photos which have shown minor bruising on the president’s hand. Reading from the physicians letter, Leavitt said: “this is consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.”

Editorial credit: Joey Sussman / Shutterstock.com