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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of intestinal ischemia may develop suddenly (acute intestinal ischemia) or they may develop gradually over time (chronic intestinal ischemia).
Symptoms of acute intestinal ischemia
Signs and symptoms of acute intestinal ischemia typically include:
- Sudden abdominal pain that may range from mild to severe
- An urgent need to have a bowel movement
- Frequent, forceful bowel movements
- Abdominal tenderness or distention
- Blood in your stool
- Nausea, vomiting
- Fever
Symptoms of chronic intestinal ischemia
Signs and symptoms of chronic intestinal ischemia can include:
- Abdominal cramps or fullness, beginning within 30 minutes after eating and lasting one to three hours
- Abdominal pain that gets progressively worse over weeks or months
- Fear of eating because of subsequent pain
- Unintended weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Nausea, vomiting
- Bloating
Chronic intestinal ischemia may progress to an acute episode. If this happens, you might experience severe abdominal pain after weeks or months of bouts of intermittent pain after eating.
When to see a doctor
Seek immediate medical care 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.
- Brandt LJ, et al. Intestinal ischemia. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisinger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/linkTo?type=bookHome&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&uniq=200844987-3. Accessed May 17, 2010.
- Hauseer SC. Vascular diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/201609212-3/0/1492/0.html. Accessed May 17, 2010.
- Tendler DA, et al. Acute mesenteric ischemia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 12, 2010.
- Tendler DA, et al. Chronic mesenteric ischemia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 12, 2010.
- Atherosclerosis. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Atherosclerosis/Atherosclerosis_All.html. Accessed May 21, 2010.
- Catheter angiography. RadiologyInfo.org. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=angiocath. Accessed May 20, 2010.
- CT angiography (CTA). RadiologyInfo.org. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=angioct. Accessed May 19, 2010.
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