Browse A-Z

More <
bookmarks-menu

Arterial insufficiency

Arterial insufficiency is any condition that slows or stops the flow of blood through your arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to other places in your body.

Causes

One of the most common causes of arterial insufficiency is atherosclerosis or "hardening of the arteries." Fatty material (called plaque) builds up on the walls of your arteries. This causes them to become narrow and stiff. As a result, it is hard for blood to flow through your arteries.

Blood flow may be suddenly stopped due to a blood clot. Clots can form on the plaque or less often travel from another place such as the heart or other artery (also called embolus).

Symptoms

Symptoms depend on where your arteries become narrowed:

  • If it affects your heart arteries, you may have chest pain (angina pectoris) or a heart attack.
  • If it affects your brain arteries, you may have a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke.
  • If it affects the arteries that bring blood to your legs, you may have frequent leg cramping when you walk called claudication.
  • If it affects the arteries in your belly area, you may have pain after you eat called abdominal angina (due to mesenteric ischemia).
Review Date: 11/19/2023

Reviewed By

Jacob Berman, MD, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

References

Goodney PP. Clinical evaluation of the arterial system. In: Sidawy AN, Perler BA, eds. Rutherford's Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 19.

Libby P. The vascular biology of atherosclerosis. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann, DL, Tomaselli GF, Bhatt DL, Solomon SD, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 24.

Disclaimer

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

All
Videos
Images
Developmental process of atherosclerosis - Illustration Thumbnail

Developmental process of atherosclerosis

The development of arterial atherosclerosis may occur when deposits of cholesterol and plaque accumulate at a tear in the inner lining of an artery. As the deposits harden and occlude the arterial lumen, blood flow to distant tissues decreases and a clot may become lodged, completely blocking the artery.

Illustration

Arteries of the brain - Illustration Thumbnail

Arteries of the brain

The internal carotid arteries and the vertebral arteries supply blood to the brain.

Illustration

 
 
Developmental process of atherosclerosis - Illustration Thumbnail

Developmental process of atherosclerosis

The development of arterial atherosclerosis may occur when deposits of cholesterol and plaque accumulate at a tear in the inner lining of an artery. As the deposits harden and occlude the arterial lumen, blood flow to distant tissues decreases and a clot may become lodged, completely blocking the artery.

Illustration

Arteries of the brain - Illustration Thumbnail

Arteries of the brain

The internal carotid arteries and the vertebral arteries supply blood to the brain.

Illustration

 
##RemoveMe##
 
 
 
 

 

 
 

 
© 1997-ADAM Company Logo All rights reserved.