We speak of ischemia when an artery is clogged, the blood can no longer circulate normally and the oxygen no longer reaches the tissues. What are the symptoms ? What test to do? How to avoid it?
Ischemia corresponds reduced blood supply to an organ or part of the body, due to a clogged artery. What is’an ischemic stroke ? What are the symptoms of ischemia? What is an ischemia test? How to avoid it? Treat her?
What is the definition of ischemia?
“Ischemia means a insufficient supply of blood to an organ because of a obstruction the passage of blood through a artery. This obstruction is usually related to a blood clot blocked in a place of the narrowed artery by an atheroma plaque”, notes Dr. Patrick Aubé, general practitioner.
What is lower limb ischemia?
Lower limb ischemia relates to the legs. It is mainly due to the presence ofa blood clot in an artery (thrombosis) or an embolism. The affected limb becomes cold and pale, it causes brutal pain and is paralyzed little by little because it is no longer irrigated. Doppler ultrasound or arteriography help confirm the diagnosis. The administration of vasodilators and anticoagulants is sometimes sufficient. Other treatments include removal of the clot (embolectomy) and/or amputation of the limb.
What is myocardial ischemia?
“Myocardial ischemia manifests at heart level by obstruction of the coronary arteries”, explains Dr. Aubé. In other words, it is a lack of oxygenation of the heart muscle.
What is cerebral ischemia?
Ischemic stroke results frompoor oxygenation in part of the brain. “There is an obstruction of the cerebral arteries”, says the general practitioner. It may be due to advanced atherosclerosis, arterial embolism, that is to say the migration of a clot which will become blocked in the artery or diseases affecting the small arteries. This can manifest as neurological signs such as motor or sensory disturbances affecting a part or a whole half of the body, speech or recognition disorders, of sudden onset or worsening very quickly, and the evolution can be towards a coma.
What is intestinal or mesenteric ischemia?
“Intestinal ischemia is due to the obstruction of the mesenteric artery, which has the role of bringing oxygenated blood to the organs of the abdomen”, continues Dr. Aubé.
What is spinal cord ischemia?
Spinal cord ischemia corresponds to the interruption of the arterial vascularization whose purpose is to bring blood to the spinal cord.
What is acute ischemia?
Acute ischemia refers to the sudden interruption of arterial blood flow in a limb. This is a real medical emergency, likely to lead to the amputation of the limb in question or even the death of the patient if it is not taken in time.
What causes ischemia?
Ischemia can be caused by several things:
- Blockage of an artery by a blood clot (thrombosis)
- Severe narrowing of an arterial wall, most often related to cholesterol deposits (atherosclerosis)
- An upstream hemorrhage
- A squeeze.
What are the symptoms of ischemia?
“The symptoms are very varied depending on the regions affected by the ischemia: at the level of the heart, it is the chest pain angina pectoris and infarction, of the brain, these are the signs of a cerebrovascular accident, of the legs, by pain and a limb that becomes cold, of the intestine, by a sharp and sudden abdominal pain“, explains Dr. Patrick Aubé.
What are the risk factors for ischemia?
The risk factors that promote ischemia are numerous:
- heredity,
- age,
- smoking,
- obesity,
- diabetes,
- excess cholesterol,
- high blood pressure.
What are the risks and complications of ischemia?
When ischemia is temporary or quickly treated, organ damage is not permanent and the cells are not completely destroyed. On the other hand, in case of prolonged ischemia, the organ risks irreversible damage. The decrease in the supply of arterial blood in an organ or a tissue in fact leads to a drop in its oxygenation and the disturbance, or even the judgment, of its function. The most dangerous ischaemias affect brain and heart, but they can affect other organs such as the kidney, the lung, a digestive organ, and also part of the limb, often a leg in the event of acute limb ischemia.
What is an ischemia test for diagnosis?
“The examinations of choice for diagnosing ischemia are Doppler examination, ultrasound, arteriography, electrocardiogram, performed urgently depending on the pathologies”observes the general practitioner.
What is the treatment for ischemia?
“Treatment of ischemia can be either medicinal, we then use products to dissolve the blood clot at the origin of the obstruction, or surgical by the installation of stents or by removing the atherosclerotic plaque. The prevention of ischemic disorders requires the reduction of cardiovascular risk factors: obesity, smoking, diabetes, cholesterol, sedentary lifestyle” remarks the general practitioner.
Thank you to Dr Patrick Aubé, general practitioner, author of the book “20 medicinal plants for daily treatment”.