Intestinal Arterial Insufficiency

Intestinal Arterial Insufficiency General Information

Intestinal Arterial Insufficiency, also known under the generic medical term of abdominal angina, is a cardiovascular disease which is more commonly encountered in female patients. It is characterized by a poor blood flow circulation, which is insufficient for the mesentric visceral demands; in such cases the patients experience severe pain in the abdomen shortly after taking a meal. This condition is similar to angina pectoris, an affection encountered in patients that suffer from coronary artery disease; in patients diagnosed with peripheral vascular disease, the affection would correspond to intermittent claudication.

In most cases, this condition is caused by an atherosclerotic vascular disease that the patient is suffering from. In such cases the most affected blood vessels are the ostia and possibly the proximal segments of the mesenteric vessels. Some patients also suffer from aortoiliac occlusive disease which may cause lesions in the ostia. Normally, in healthy persons the blood flow in the superior mesenteric and celiac blood vessels is increased within 15 minutes from eating. However, in patients suffering from Intestinal Arterial Insufficiency the blood flow is not sufficient to accomplish this, leading to ischemic pain. It is common that the patient does not recognize the disease and considers it to be a form of severe digestive problems and follows a different treatment which will not help improve his or her medical condition; at the same time, the patient will recognize the connection between food and pain, at a cognitive or subconscious level, and will start to avoid eating; in such cases significant weight loss may occur.

Intestinal Arterial Insufficiency Symptoms

The presence of this medical disorder (Intestinal Arterial Insufficiency, also known as abdominal angina) determines a set of clinical manifestations that make the patient seek medical care. During the visit to his or her personal physician, the patient will have to give a detailed description of their symptoms; the individual should also be able to provide the physician with reliable information regarding his personal and family medical history (in some cases this helps the physician set a correct diagnosis). If the doctor cannot set a clear diagnosis that is based only on the symptoms and on the patient’s medical history, he or she will order a set of further medical exams that will show whether the patient is indeed suffering from Intestinal Arterial Insufficiency or not.

Among the most common symptoms of this medical condition is median arcuate ligament syndrome. This is caused by the fact that the patient’s celiac trunk is compressed by a ligament (the median arcuate ligament). Adjacent compression may be exercised by the periarterial neural tissue. This syndrome was first described in 1965 by Dunbar and several colleagues; some scientists state that this condition leads to intimal fibrosis and then to luminal stenosis and finally to an impaired blood flow in the splanchnic area. For this reason, the presence of this syndrome determines the appearance of several symptoms (that resemble those caused by another medical disorder: atherosclerotic mesenteric ischemia).

Patients with Intestinal Arterial Insufficiency experience initial sweating and / or breathlessness. These symptoms may be accompanied by blackout, nausea, vomiting, and so on. Some patients who are suffering from the severe form of this disorder present cold feet and hands.

Intestinal Arterial Insufficiency Treatment

The therapy against Intestinal Arterial insufficiency provides greater benefits if it is started in the early stages of this medical condition. In other words, the sooner one starts the treatment for this medical condition, the greater the benefits. A patient who has been diagnosed with abdominal angina generally presents blocked blood vessels and arteries (due to an increase in the patient’s blood cholesterol level). For this reason, this medical condition can have lethal effects if it is not treated properly.

The modern lifestyle of our society demands its citizens to move at the speed of sound. Unhealthy eating habits along with irregular working hours can only aggravate most cardio vascular medical conditions (including Intestinal Arterial insufficiency). Stress also contributes to the blocking of the main arteries and / or blood vessels. If the presence of this medical condition is not given the needed attention (if the patient does not follow a strict therapy and does not make the necessary changes to his or her daily routine), he or she may experience a severe cardiac arrest. In this case, some of the organism’s main arteries have been permanently blocked.

Some patients who have been diagnosed with abdominal angina (Intestinal Arterial Insufficiency) have benefited from the use of stents. A stent is a tube that is inserted through a surgical procedure in to a natural conduit of the human organism. It is supposed to counteract or prevent a clinical disorder that will induce or has induced a local constriction of the normal blood flow. The main purpose of this medical device (gadget) is to counteract any potentially significant decreases (reductions) in the diameter of the body’s ducts and / or vessels. The stent actually props the vessels open. They are often employed in the therapy of patients who are suffering from reduced blood flow to the limbs that is due to a blood vessel obstruction. Although stents are generally used in coronary arteries, they can also be used for other body conduits (peripheral veins and / or arteries, esophagus, bile ducts, trachea, colon, and so on). Ask your personal physician for further information regarding the risks and the benefits that this treatment trial has to offer you. Together, you will be able to choose the best therapy option that should suit your medical condition best. This is not a decision you are allowed to make on your own (without the approval of a specialist).

Among the most common medicines that are used in the therapy against Intestinal Arterial Insufficiency is Aspirin. Other medicines that are widely prescribed in similar clinical cases include Purinethol (an antimetabolite that is able to block the growth of some cancerous cells). However, patients who are suffering from a known hypersensitivity to any of these medical products should not be allowed to start a therapy with this medicine. In their case, an adjacent therapy method ought to be employed. Your personal health care provider, your nurse or a pharmacist will be more than happy to provide you with any further information that you may need.