Can having varicose veins kill you?

Not by itself: But varicose veins can lead to deep venous thrombophlebitis, from which a clot can dislodge and travel to your lungs, pulmonary embolism. And this can kill you. If you have unilateral leg swelling and pain, the only way to know for sure is to do an ultrasound study called venous duplex.

Not directly: I agree with dr. Uyeda. Varicose veins increase your risk (slightly) of getting a deep vein thrombosis. If clot breaks off and travels, going to your lungs, and the clot is big enough, it could certainly be life threatening. If you get a deep venous thrombosis, the other bad thing that can happen is that you can end up with post thrombotic syndrome and even if it won't kill you, you don't want it.

Varicose Vein Danger: Varicose veins alone cannot kill you. It is extremely rare to have a lethal complication form varicose veins. The only potential lethal senario would be a severe thrombophlebits (clot) forming in a varicose vein that then extends into a deep vein (DVT) & then also breaks loose and travels to the heart / lung (known as a pulmonary embolism). Any unusual symptoms in the leg should prompt a md visit.

Dangers of V V: Varicose veins are for the most part not dangerous but they do have a problematic potential. Varicose veins are due to malfunctioning valves in the saphenous system and usually cause symptoms of aching, heaviness, tired, cramping or leg swelling. These same veins can worsen and cause clots, bleeding and venous stasis ultimately leading to venous ulcers it is wise to see a vein specialist early.