Ischemia

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Area commonly affected by ischemic colitis Ischemic colitis occurs when blood flow to part of the large intestine is reduced. The condition can affect any part of the colon but is most common in the upper left segment. Ischemic colitis occurs when blood flow to part of the large intestine is temporarily reduced. This segment of the large intestine is called the colon. This reduced blood flow may be caused by narrowing of the blood vessels supplying the colon. It also may be due to reduced blood flow caused by low blood pressure. The diminished blood flow doesn't provide enough oxygen for the cells in the digestive system. This can result in tissue damage to the affected area of the intestine. Any part of the colon can be affected, but ischemic colitis most commonly causes pain on the left side of the belly area. Ischemic colitis can be misdiagnosed because it can easily be confused with other digestive problems. You may need medicine to treat ischemic colitis or prevent infection. Or you may need surgery if your colon has been damaged. Most often, however, ischemic colitis heals on its own. Symptoms Symptoms of ischemic colitis can include: • Pain, tenderness or cramping in your belly, which can occur suddenly or happen over time • Bright red or maroon blood in your stool or, at times, passage of blood alone without stool • A feeling of urgency to move your bowels • Diarrhea • Nausea The risk of severe complications is higher when you have symptoms on the right side of you...

Diagnosis Your doctor will start by asking questions about your medical history and with a physical exam. After that, your doctor might recommend: • Electrocardiogram (ECG). Electrodes attached to your skin record the electrical activity of your heart. Certain changes in your heart's electrical activity may be a sign of heart damage. • Stress test. Your heart rhythm, blood pressure and breathing are monitored while you walk on a treadmill or ride a stationary bike. Exercise makes your heart pump harder and faster than usual, so a stress test can detect heart problems that might not be noticeable otherwise. • Echocardiogram. Sound waves directed at your heart from a wand-like device held to your chest produce video images of your heart. An echocardiogram can help identify whether an area of your heart has been damaged and isn't pumping normally. • Stress echocardiogram. A stress echocardiogram is similar to a regular echocardiogram, except the test is done after you exercise in the doctor's office on a treadmill or stationary bike. • Nuclear stress test. Small amounts of radioactive material are injected into your bloodstream. While you exercise, your doctor can watch as it flows through your heart and lungs — allowing blood-flow problems to be identified. • Coronary angiography. A dye is injected into the blood vessels of your heart. Then a series of X-ray images (angiograms) are taken, showing the dye's path. This test gives your doctor a detailed look at the inside of yo...

Myocardial ischemia is a lack of blood flow getting to your heart muscle. That means your heart muscle isn’t getting enough blood to do what it needs to do. Often, the cause is a collection of fat and cholesterol (plaque) that doesn’t let enough blood go through your coronary arteries. Medicines and surgeries can treat myocardial ischemia. Overview Too little blood flow through your coronary artery causes myocardial ischemia. What is myocardial ischemia? Myocardial ischemia (or cardiac ischemia) means your A heart attack is an emergency. You should call 911 for an ambulance instead of having someone drive you to the hospital. Who does myocardial ischemia affect? People who get myocardial ischemia often have: • • • • A • A history of tobacco product use. How common is myocardial ischemia? Each year, more than 1 million people in the United States die from myocardial infarction (heart attack). This is due to myocardial ischemia, a lack of blood flow and oxygen to your heart muscle. How does myocardial ischemia affect my body? Myocardial ischemia makes it difficult to exercise, especially in the cold. As your condition gets worse, you can have symptoms of myocardial ischemia with less and less activity. In time, it can be hard to go up a flight of stairs. Eventually, you can even have symptoms when you’re at rest. Symptoms and Causes What are the symptoms? The most common symptom of myocardial ischemia is • Chest discomfort. • Heaviness. • Tightness. • Pressure. • Aching. • B...

Ischemia can occur anywhere in your body. It’s a term to describe what happens when a blood vessel is blocked, preventing blood and oxygen from reaching it. For those with hand ischemia, an inadequate supply of blood to the hands causes the fingers to become painfully cold, numb, and pale—or blueish in color. Small wounds may fester, to the point where a simple paper cut becomes a painful ulceration. Though it is uncommon, hand ischemia can affect virtually anyone. “It can impact ill and healthy patients alike,” says Dr. Colen and Below, Drs. Colen and Strosberg discuss hand ischemia and how their program helps treat patients. What causes hand ischemia? One cause of hand ischemia is a condition called Raynaud’s disease (or Raynaud’s phenomenon), which affects about 5% of people in the United States. There are two kinds of Raynaud’s—primary and secondary. Primary Raynaud’s disease, the most common type, is vasospastic, meaning the blood vessels abnormally contract on their own. This condition makes the hand hypersensitive to temperature, so cold weather can cause the fingers to grow pale and numb. The good news is that it can often be treated with lifestyle changes. Secondary Raynaud’s disease is associated with a mixed connective tissue disease, like Sjögren's disease or scleroderma. These conditions bring a proliferation of cells in the inner lining of the blood vessels, causing them to constrict and thicken. If secondary Raynaud’s disease gets severe, it can result in is...

Overview Mesenteric ischemia caused by a narrowed artery. What is the condition? Mesenteric ischemia is an uncommon, dangerous condition that happens when parts of your digestive system don’t get enough blood flow. This usually happens because of a blockage in your blood vessels that provide blood to those areas. This condition is more common in people who are older, especially those with Without enough blood flow, the affected organs and tissues don’t have enough oxygen and can’t function correctly. If the blockage is severe enough, the affected organs and tissues may start to die. This condition is often deadly, so a quick diagnosis and treatment are very important. What does this condition’s name mean? The mesentery (pronounced, “mess-ent-airy”) is an organ in your abdomen (belly) that holds several other organs in place, including your small and large intestines, colon and more. The mesentery also has a network of blood vessels that supply your organs inside. Ischemia (pronounced, “iss-key-me-uh”) is when parts of your body aren’t getting enough blood flow. Mesenteric ischemia means that the lack of blood flow is affecting your mesentery and your organs inside. What are the different types of this condition? There are two types of mesenteric ischemia: Acute mesenteric ischemia Heart attacks and strokes often happen because of blockages in critical arteries, and acute mesenteric ischemia can happen in a similar way. This usually happens because of blood clots, which cau...

What is an Ischemic Stroke? An ischemic stroke occurs when a vessel supplying blood to the brain is obstructed. It accounts for about 87% of all strokes. The main cause of ischemic stroke is atherosclerosis, or fatty deposits (plaque) that line the vessel walls. Fatty deposits can cause two types of obstruction: • Cerebral thrombosis is a thrombus (blood clot) that develops at the site of fatty plaque within a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain. • Cerebral embolism is a blood clot that forms in the heart or large arteries of the upper chest or neck, or at another location in the circulatory system. Part of the blood clot breaks loose, enters the bloodstream and travels through the brain’s blood vessels until it reaches vessels too small to let it pass. A main cause of embolism is an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation. It can cause clots to form in the heart, dislodge and travel to the brain. Medication Treatment with Alteplase IV r-tPA Tissue plasminogen activator, r-tPA, (known as alteplase) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke. Doctors administer Alteplase IV r-tPA through an IV in the arm, dissolving the clot and improving blood flow to the part of the brain that’s deprived. Many people don’t arrive at the hospital in time to receive the medication, which can save lives and reduce long-term effects of stroke. So it’s important to identify stroke and seek treatment immediately. Mechanical Treatment to Remove the ...

Doctors use the term ischemia to describe a reduction in blood flow to a certain part of the body. It can affect any body part, including the heart, brain, muscle, and intestines. Ischemia can be acute, due to a sudden reduction in blood flow, or chronic, due to slowly decreasing blood flow. It requires medical attention because it can cause potentially life threatening complications. This article explains what ischemia is. It also outlines common symptoms and causes of certain types of the condition. Seek immediate medical careby calling 911if you experience: • • • a severe • • sudden difficulties with memory, thinking, talking, comprehension, writing, or reading • • • paralysis or an inability to move a body part • a loss of vision or changes in vision • impaired balance and coordination • • • • unusual • a cold, blue, or darkened extremity or patch of skin Common symptoms of ischemia of the heart Sometimes, cardiac ischemia does not cause any symptoms. This is called However, some people with cardiac ischemia may notice chest pain, or People may also experience changes in their heart rhythm due to cardiac ischemia. This can include a fast heart rate, called People with these heart rhythm changes may also experience Trusted Source AHA/ASA Journals Peer reviewed journal Common symptoms of ischemia of the brain Symptoms of ischemia of the brain Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health • changes in heart rate • changes i...

Ischemia can occur anywhere in your body. It’s a term to describe what happens when a blood vessel is blocked, preventing blood and oxygen from reaching it. For those with hand ischemia, an inadequate supply of blood to the hands causes the fingers to become painfully cold, numb, and pale—or blueish in color. Small wounds may fester, to the point where a simple paper cut becomes a painful ulceration. Though it is uncommon, hand ischemia can affect virtually anyone. “It can impact ill and healthy patients alike,” says Dr. Colen and Below, Drs. Colen and Strosberg discuss hand ischemia and how their program helps treat patients. What causes hand ischemia? One cause of hand ischemia is a condition called Raynaud’s disease (or Raynaud’s phenomenon), which affects about 5% of people in the United States. There are two kinds of Raynaud’s—primary and secondary. Primary Raynaud’s disease, the most common type, is vasospastic, meaning the blood vessels abnormally contract on their own. This condition makes the hand hypersensitive to temperature, so cold weather can cause the fingers to grow pale and numb. The good news is that it can often be treated with lifestyle changes. Secondary Raynaud’s disease is associated with a mixed connective tissue disease, like Sjögren's disease or scleroderma. These conditions bring a proliferation of cells in the inner lining of the blood vessels, causing them to constrict and thicken. If secondary Raynaud’s disease gets severe, it can result in is...

Myocardial ischemia is a lack of blood flow getting to your heart muscle. That means your heart muscle isn’t getting enough blood to do what it needs to do. Often, the cause is a collection of fat and cholesterol (plaque) that doesn’t let enough blood go through your coronary arteries. Medicines and surgeries can treat myocardial ischemia. Overview Too little blood flow through your coronary artery causes myocardial ischemia. What is myocardial ischemia? Myocardial ischemia (or cardiac ischemia) means your A heart attack is an emergency. You should call 911 for an ambulance instead of having someone drive you to the hospital. Who does myocardial ischemia affect? People who get myocardial ischemia often have: • • • • A • A history of tobacco product use. How common is myocardial ischemia? Each year, more than 1 million people in the United States die from myocardial infarction (heart attack). This is due to myocardial ischemia, a lack of blood flow and oxygen to your heart muscle. How does myocardial ischemia affect my body? Myocardial ischemia makes it difficult to exercise, especially in the cold. As your condition gets worse, you can have symptoms of myocardial ischemia with less and less activity. In time, it can be hard to go up a flight of stairs. Eventually, you can even have symptoms when you’re at rest. Symptoms and Causes What are the symptoms? The most common symptom of myocardial ischemia is • Chest discomfort. • Heaviness. • Tightness. • Pressure. • Aching. • B...