Arterial embolism

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Arterial Embolism is a medical condition characterized by the blockage of an artery due to the presence of an embolus. This blockage can lead to tissue damage or death due to the lack of oxygen and nutrients supplied by the blood.

Causes[edit | edit source]

The primary cause of an arterial embolism is the formation of a blood clot in the body, which can occur due to a variety of reasons. These include atherosclerosis, heart disease, arrhythmias, and deep vein thrombosis. Other causes can include air embolism, fat embolism, and amniotic fluid embolism.

Symptoms[edit | edit source]

The symptoms of an arterial embolism can vary depending on the location of the blockage. Common symptoms include pain, decreased temperature in the affected area, and loss of function. In severe cases, it can lead to gangrene or limb ischemia.

Diagnosis[edit | edit source]

Diagnosis of arterial embolism typically involves a physical examination and medical history, followed by imaging tests such as ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI. Blood tests may also be conducted to check for the presence of D-dimer, a substance that is often elevated in patients with blood clots.

Treatment[edit | edit source]

Treatment for arterial embolism aims to remove or dissolve the embolus, restore blood flow, and prevent further emboli. This can be achieved through medication, surgery, or other procedures such as angioplasty or thrombolysis.

Prevention[edit | edit source]

Prevention strategies for arterial embolism include managing risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, as well as lifestyle changes such as regular exercise, a healthy diet, and quitting smoking.

See Also[edit | edit source]

Medicine - Specialties and subspecialties
Surgery

Cardiac surgery - Cardiothoracic surgery - Colorectal surgery - Ophthalmology - General surgery - Neurosurgery - Oral and maxillofacial surgery - Orthopedic surgery - Hand surgery - Otolaryngology - ENT - Pediatric surgery - Plastic surgery - Reproductive surgery - Surgical oncology - Transplant surgery - Trauma surgery - Urology - Andrology - Vascular surgery

Medicine Internal medicine - Allergy / Immunology - Angiology - Cardiology - Endocrinology - Gastroenterology - Hepatology - Geriatrics - Hematology - Hospital medicine - Infectious disease - Nephrology - Oncology - Pulmonology - Rheumatology
Obstetrics and gynaecology Gynaecology - Gynecologic oncology - Maternal–fetal medicine - Obstetrics - Reproductive endocrinology and infertility - Urogynecology
Diagnostic Radiology - Interventional radiology - Nuclear medicine - Pathology - Anatomical - Clinical pathology - Clinical chemistry - Cytopathology - Medical microbiology - Transfusion medicine
Other specialties Addiction medicine - Adolescent medicine - Anesthesiology - Dermatology - Disaster medicine - Diving medicine - Emergency medicine - Family medicine - General practice - Hospital medicine - Intensive care medicine - Medical genetics - Narcology - Neurology - Clinical neurophysiology - Occupational medicine - Ophthalmology - Oral medicine - Pain management - Palliative care - Pediatrics - Neonatology - Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) - Preventive medicine - Psychiatry -Addiction psychiatry - Radiation oncology - Reproductive medicine - Sexual medicine - Sleep medicine - Sports medicine - Transplantation medicine - Tropical medicine - Travel medicine - Venereology
Medical education Medical school - USMLE - Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - Bachelor of Medical Sciences - Doctor of Medicine - Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine - Alternative medicine - Allied health - Dentistry - Podiatry - Pharmacy - Physiotherapy - Molecular oncology - Nanomedicine - Personalized medicine - Public health - Rural health - Therapy - Traditional medicine - Veterinary medicine - Physician - Chief physician - History of medicine
Misc. topics Health topics A-Z - Rare diseases - Drugs - Diet - Medicine portal - First Aid - Glossary of medicine - Health insurance - Glossary of health topics - Drug classes - Medicines - Dentistry portal - Pharmacology and Medications-Medications portal - Pharmacology portal - Psychiatry portal


Cardiovascular disease A-Z

Most common cardiac diseases

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A[edit source]

B[edit source]

C[edit source]

D[edit source]

E[edit source]

H[edit source]

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

I[edit source]

K[edit source]

L[edit source]

M[edit source]

N[edit source]

O[edit source]

P[edit source]

R[edit source]

S[edit source]

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

T[edit source]

V[edit source]

W[edit source]


This emergency medicine related article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it.

WikiMD
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Search WikiMD

Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Let Food Be Thy Medicine
Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates

WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD