Intestinal Ischemia – What is it, Causes, Symptoms and Treatments!

Intestinal Ischemia – What it is, Causes, Symptoms and Treatments  that many are unaware of. In addition, Bowel Ischemia describes a variety of conditions that occur when blood flow to the intestine decreases due to blockage, usually in an artery. Bowel Ischemia  can affect your small intestine , your large intestine (colon), or both.

Bowel Ischemia is a serious condition that can cause pain and make it difficult for your intestines to work. In severe cases, loss of blood flow to the intestines can damage intestinal tissue and lead to death. Treatments are available for Ischemia Bowel . To improve as a chance of recovery, it is crucial for the main symptoms and to ask for medical help.

Plaque buildup inside the arteries ( atherosclerosis ) can cause chronic, or long-term, HF. This condition can also go away with gentle treatment, such as a short-term liquid diet and antibiotics.

Causes of Bowel Ischemia: Bowel  ischemia  occurs when the flow of blood through the main arteries that supply blood to your intestines slows or stops. The condition has many potential causes, including a blockage in an artery caused by a blood clot or a narrowing of an artery due to a buildup of deposits such as cholesterol. Blockages can also occur in the veins, but are less common.

Whatever the cause, decreased blood flow within your digestive tract leaves cells without enough oxygen, which causes cells to weaken and die. If the damage is severe enough, infection, gangrene and eventually a hole (perforation) in the wall of the intestines can occur . If left untreated, Intestinal Ischemia can be fatal.

Intestinal ischemia is often divided into categories:

Colon Ischemia (Ischemic Colitis): This most common type of Bowel Ischemia occurs when blood flow to the colon is slowed. It usually affects adults over the age of 60, although it can develop at any age.

Signs and symptoms of colonic ischemia include rectal bleeding and sudden onset of mild abdominal pain and cramping. The cause of decreased blood flow to the colon is not always clear, but a number of conditions can make you more vulnerable to colon ischemia:

• Buildup of cholesterol deposits on the walls of an artery ( atherosclerosis )
• Dangerously low blood pressure (hypotension) associated with heart failure, major surgery, trauma, or shock
• A blood clot in an artery supplying the colon
• Twisting of the intestine (volvulus) or entrapment of intestinal contents within a hernia
• Excessive bowel enlargement from bowel obstruction caused by scar tissue or tumor
• Other medical disorders that affect your blood, such as inflammation of your blood vessels (vasculitis), lupus, or sickle cell anemia
• Some medications, especially those that constrict blood vessels, such as some heart and migraine medications, and hormonal medications, such as estrogen
• Cocaine or methamphetamine use
• Vigorous exercise, such as long-distance running
• Acute mesenteric ischemia

This type of  Intestinal Ischemia  usually affects the small intestine . It has an abrupt onset and may be due to:

A blood clot (embolus) that breaks away from your heart and travels through your bloodstream to block an artery, usually the superior mesenteric artery, that supplies oxygen-rich blood to your intestines . This is the most common cause of acute mesenteric artery ischemia and can be caused by congestive heart failure, an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), or a heart attack.

A blockage that develops within a major intestinal artery and slows or stops blood flow, often as a result of fatty deposits ( atherosclerosis ) building up in the wall of an artery. This type of sudden ischemia tends to occur in people with chronic Intestinal Ischemia .

Decreased blood flow resulting from low blood pressure from shock, heart failure, certain medications, or chronic kidney failure. This is more common in people who have other serious illnesses and who have some degree of atherosclerosis . You may hear this type of acute mesenteric ischemia called non-occlusive ischemia, which means it’s not due to a blockage in the artery.
Chronic mesenteric ischemia

Chronic mesenteric ischemia, also known as intestinal angina, results from the buildup of fatty deposits in an arterial wall ( atherosclerosis ). The disease process is usually gradual, and you may not require treatment until at least two of the three main arteries supplying your intestines become severely narrowed or completely blocked.

A potentially dangerous complication of chronic mesenteric ischemia is the development of a blood clot within a diseased artery, causing blood flow to be suddenly blocked (acute mesenteric ischemia).

Ischemia that occurs when blood cannot leave your intestines

A blood clot can develop in a vein draining deoxygenated blood from your intestines . When the vein is blocked, blood backs up into the intestines , causing swelling and bleeding. This is called mesenteric venous thrombosis, and it can result from:

• Acute or chronic inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis)
• abdominal infection
• digestive system cancer
• Intestinal diseases, such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, or diverticulitis
• Disorders that make your blood more prone to clotting (hypercoagulation disorders), such as an inherited clotting disorder or a medication such as estrogen that can increase your risk of
• coagulation
• Trauma to your abdomen

Ischemia Bowel Symptoms:  The signs and symptoms of Bowel Ischemia  may develop suddenly (acute) or gradually (chronic). The condition presents itself differently in different people, so no set of signs and symptoms indicates Intestinal Ischemia , but there are generally recognized patterns.

Signs and symptoms of acute intestinal ischemia typically include:

• Sudden abdominal pain that can range from mild to severe
• An urgent need to have a bowel movement
• Frequent and compelling knowledge
• Abdominal tenderness or distention
• blood in the stool
• Nausea , vomiting
• Fever
• Mental confusion in older adults
• Symptoms of Chronic Intestinal Ischemia

Signs and symptoms of chronic intestinal ischemia can include:

• Abdominal cramps or fullness after eating, usually within the first hour and lasting one to three hours
• Abdominal pain that gets progressively worse over weeks or months
• Fear of eating because of subsequent pain
• unintentional weight loss
• Diarrhea
• Nausea , vomiting
• Swelling
• When to see a doctor

Intestinal Ischemia Treatments:  Seek immediate medical attention if you have sudden, severe abdominal pain. Pain that makes you so uncomfortable that you can’t sit still or find a comfortable position is a medical emergency.

If you have other signs or symptoms that worry you, make an appointment with your doctor.

Treating  Intestinal Ischemia  involves restoring a sufficient blood supply to your digestive tract. Options vary depending on the cause and severity of your condition.

Your doctor may recommend antibiotics to treat or prevent infections. Your doctors can also treat any underlying medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure or an irregular heartbeat. You will need to stop medications that constrict your blood vessels, such as migraine medications, hormone medications, and some heart drugs. Colon ischemia can also heal on its own.

If your colon has been damaged, you may need surgery to remove dead tissue. Or you may need surgery to prevent a blockage in one of your intestinal arteries.

Acute mesenteric artery ischemia: Surgery may be needed to remove a blood clot, to prevent artery blockage, or to repair or remove a damaged part of the intestine. Treatment may also include antibiotics and medications to prevent clots from forming, dissolve clots, or dilate blood vessels.

If angiography is done to diagnose the problem, it may be possible to simultaneously remove a blood clot or open a narrowed artery with angioplasty. Angioplasty involves using an inflated balloon at the end of a catheter to compress fatty deposits and stretch the artery, causing a wider flow of blood to flow. A metal, spring-like tube (stent) may also be placed in your artery to help keep it open.

Chronic mesenteric artery ischemia: Treatment of Intestinal Ischemia  involves restoring blood flow to the intestine. Your surgeon can bypass blocked arteries or widen narrowed arteries with angioplasty therapy or placing a stent.

Mesenteric venous thrombosis ischemia: If your bowel shows no signs of damage, you will likely need to take anticoagulant medication for about three to six months. If tests show you have a blood clotting disorder, you can take blood thinners for life. Anticoagulants help prevent clots from forming. If parts of the intestine show signs of damage, you may need surgery to remove the damaged section.