Phlebitis refers to what?

• A. Inflammation of vein wall
• B. Inflammation of artery wall
• C. Vein blockage
• D. Vein dilation

Answer: (A)

Phlebitis means inflammation of a vein, specifically the wall of a vein. The term targets veins, not arteries, so inflammation of an artery would be arteritis. A vein blockage describes thrombosis, not just inflammation, and vein dilation refers to the vein widening without implying inflammation. Sometimes phlebitis occurs with a clot, which is called thrombophlebitis, but the essential idea is vein-wall inflammation.