Paralysis is a very late sign of acute arterial ischemia and signals the death of nerves supplying the extremity. Foot drop may occur as a result of nerve damage. Because nerves are extremely sensitive to hypoxia, limb paralysis or ischemic neuropathy may persist after revascularization and may be permanent. Cardiac ischemia
Cardiac ischemia may be asymptomatic or may cause chest pain, known as angina pectoris. It occurs when the heart muscle, or myocardium, receives insufficient blood flow. This most frequently results from atherosclerosis, which is the long-term accumulation of cholesterol-rich plaques in the coronary arteries. In most Western countries, Ischemic heart disease is the most common cause of death in both men and women, and a major cause of hospital admissions. Bowel
Both large and small intestines can be affected by ischemia. The blockage of blood flow to the large intestine (colon) is called ischemic colitis. Ischemia of the small bowel is called mesenteric ischemia. Brain
Brain ischemia is insufficient blood flow to the brain, and can be acute or chronic. Acute ischemic stroke is a neurological emergency typically caused by a blood clot blocking blood flow in a vessel in the brain. Chronic ischemia of the brain may result in a form of dementia called vascular dementia. A sudden, brief episode (symptoms lasting only minutes) of ischemia affecting the brain is called a transient ischemic attack (TIA), often called a mini-stroke. TIAs can be a warning of future strokes, with approximately 1/3 of TIA patients having a serious stroke within one year.
Limb
Inadequate blood supply to a limb may results in acute limb ischemia or chronic limb threatening ischemia. Cutaneous
Reduced blood flow to the skin layers may result in mottling or uneven, patchy discoloration of the skin. Kidney Ischemia
Kidney Ischemia is a loss of blood flow to the kidney cells. Several physical symptoms include shrinkage of one or both kidneys, renovascular hypertension, acute renal failure, progressive azotemia, and acute pulmonary edema. It is a disease with high mortality rate and high morbidity. Failure to treat could cause chronic kidney disease and a need for renal surgery. Causes
Ischemia is a vascular disease involving an interruption in the arterial blood supply to a tissue, organ, or extremity that, if untreated, can lead to tissue death. It can be caused by embolism, thrombosis of an atherosclerotic artery, or trauma. Venous problems like venous outflow obstruction and low-flow states can cause acute arterial ischemia. An aneurysm is one of the most frequent causes of acute arterial ischemia. Other causes are heart conditions including myocardial infarction, mitral valve disease, chronic atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathies, and prosthesis, in all of which thrombi are prone to develop. Occlusion
The thrombi may dislodge and may travel anywhere in the circulatory system, where they may lead to pulmonary embolus, an acute arterial occlusion causing the oxygen and blood supply distal to the embolus to decrease suddenly. The degree and extent of symptoms depend on the size and location of the obstruction, the occurrence of clot fragmentation with embolism to smaller vessels, and the degree of peripheral arterial disease (PAD).