Topic summary
Bowel ischemia
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Intestinal ischemia.
In the large intestine
Ischemia of the large intestine (colon) is termed ischemic colitis. Although uncommon in the general population, ischemic colitis occurs with greater frequency in the elderly, and is the most common form of bowel ischemia. Causes of the reduced blood flow can include changes in the systemic circulation (e.g. low blood pressure), or local factors such as constriction of blood vessels or a blood clot. In most cases, no specific cause can be identified.