Chronic venous insufficiency alone does not cause a heart problem. A patient with venous insufficiency is not at risk for vascular problems in the heart, such as coronary heart disease. The processes leading to coronary heart disease in the heart are problems in the arteries. Arteriosclerosis, the hardening of the arteries, is a result of the build-up of plaque in the arteries. However, if deep vein thrombosis leads to a pulmonary embolism, it can increase lung pressure, causing right-sided heart failure. This requires surgical treatment, but chronic venous insufficiency alone does not cause a heart problem.