When blood flow from major blood vessels slows down or stops supplying/draining the intestines, the condition is called intestinal ischemia. The build-up of deposits such as cholesterol may lead to blocked or narrowed blood vessels. When left untreated intestinal ischemia could decrease the function of intestines or damage the tissues permanently.
Intestinal ischemia can be acute or chronic. Those suffering from acute intestinal ischemia show sudden onset and worsening of symptoms such as abdominal pain, blood in the bowel movements and low blood pressure. Chronic intestinal ischemia is a slowly progressive disease characterized by postprandial (after meal) pain abdomen and unexplainable weight loss.
Treatment focuses on re-establishing blood flow to the intestine. This is done through medications, vascular intervention and surgery depending on the type, cause, severity, and timing of patients coming to the hospital. In acute ischemia, if the intestine is irreversibly damaged, the affected part should be surgically removed.
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