Who this service is for
This vascular and circulatory health consultation is appropriate for adults with:
- A feeling of heavy or tired legs, especially at the end of the day or after many hours on their feet
- Visible varicose veins, spider veins or reticular veins that are increasing over time
- Ankle swelling in the evening that improves when the legs are raised
- Night cramps, itching or restlessness in the legs with a venous pattern
- Changes in skin colour on the leg: brownish (ochre) patches, hardening or eczema at the ankle
- A family history of venous disease and questions about which prevention makes sense
- A personal history of venous thrombosis and questions about current follow-up
- Cardiovascular risk factors — smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, dyslipidaemia, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle — and no vascular assessment yet
- Calf pain when walking that eases with rest, to guide arterial investigation
- A job with venous risk (prolonged standing, continuous sitting, frequent long journeys) and the need for a preventive plan
- International residents and expats who need vascular care in Spanish, English, Hungarian or German
What this service is — and what it is not
This consultation covers:
- Clinical assessment of non-urgent venous and circulatory symptoms
- Review and interpretation of tests you already have: Doppler ultrasound, ankle-brachial index, blood tests
- Assessment of overall cardiovascular risk and a plan to reduce it
- Requests for venous or arterial Doppler ultrasound and blood tests when clinically indicated
- Recommendation of compression therapy: type of stocking, compression class and how to use it
- Evidence-based conservative measures — exercise, weight management, elevation, postural habits
- Coordinated referral to phlebology, angiology or vascular surgery when appropriate
This service does not cover:
- Vascular emergencies. Sudden pain and swelling in one leg, with warmth and redness, requires deep vein thrombosis to be ruled out the same day; if accompanied by chest pain or difficulty breathing, call 112 immediately
- Acute arterial ischaemia — a cold, pale, painful leg with no pulse — which is an immediate hospital emergency
- Performing the ultrasound scan. Doppler ultrasound is done in person: the consultation requests it and interprets the report, it does not perform it
- Venous procedures. Sclerotherapy, endovenous ablation and varicose vein surgery require in-person assessment and treatment
- Infected or slow-healing ulcers, which need in-person wound care and assessment
What the consultation includes
Focused vascular medical history
How long symptoms have been present, their pattern through the day, personal and family history of thrombosis or varicose veins, pregnancies, medication (including contraceptives and hormone therapy), work activity and cardiovascular risk factors.
Guided examination by video call
The doctor guides you in showing the affected leg: distribution of varicose veins, oedema, skin changes and symmetry between both legs. You can send photographs before your appointment.
Review of previous tests
If you already have a Doppler ultrasound, an ankle-brachial index or blood tests, they are reviewed and interpreted during the consultation, and you are told what they mean in your particular case.
Test requests
When investigation is indicated, the request for venous or arterial Doppler ultrasound and blood tests is issued the same day, to be carried out at a centre near you.
Written plan and compression therapy
You receive a written plan with the indicated conservative measures and, where appropriate, a prescription for graduated compression in the right class, with an explanation of how and when to use it.
Coordinated referral
If the assessment points to advanced venous disease or arterial disease, the doctor coordinates referral to the specialist with the full report, so you do not have to start from scratch.
When not to wait
Go to the emergency department or call 112 if you develop:
- Sudden pain and swelling in one leg, with warmth or redness
- Sudden-onset chest pain or difficulty breathing
- A cold, pale, painful leg, with loss of sensation or strength
- Bleeding from a varicose vein that does not stop with pressure and elevation
- An ulcer with fever, discharge or cellulitis around it
Vascular health in Spain — the access problem
Venous symptoms are extremely common and consistently downplayed. Most patients live for years with heavy legs and progressing varicose veins without anyone assessing venous reflux or recommending correct compression, until skin changes or an ulcer appear that are already difficult to reverse.
Chronic venous disease is progressive, and the measures that slow it — properly indicated compression, exercise, weight management and treatment of reflux when appropriate — are more effective the earlier they are applied.
This consultation makes that assessment possible without waiting and from anywhere in Spain, with same-day test requests when indicated.
