Table of Contents
- Overview
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Images
Ischemic colitis is a sudden swelling (inflammation) of part of the large intestine (colon) that occurs when there is a temporary loss of, or reduction in, blood flow to the colon.
Alternative Names
Colonic ischemia
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Ischemic colitis mainly affects people over 50. Many of them have a history of
Other risk factors include:
Atrial fibrillation - Blockage of the large bowel
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - Congestive
heart failure Diabetes High blood pressure Irritable bowel syndrome Low blood pressure - Past aortic surgery in which damage occurred to the artery that supplies the colon
Rheumatoid arthritis - Use of medications that cause constipation
Review Date: 01/20/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Mediicne, Division of
General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington
School of Medicine; and George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of
Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San
Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
