guidelines

varicose veins: who to refer, what not to do, and treatment ladder

a nice cg168-aligned primary care guide to referral criteria for vascular services, duplex assessment, interventional treatment sequence (endothermal ablation → foam sclerotherapy → surgery), and the limited role of compression.

last reviewed: 2026-02-13

based on: NICE CG168 (published 24 Jul 2013; last reviewed 04 Feb 2016)

reviewer: Dr Kola Tytler MBBS CertHE MBA MRCGP

view official NICE source

Common questions (GP-focused)

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This page is an educational, clinician-written summary of publicly available NICE guidance intended for trained healthcare professionals. It uses original wording (not copied text) and should be used alongside the full NICE source, local pathways, and clinical judgement. Doses provided are for general reference; always check the BNF/SPC.