Pain in the Gut After Eating? Could Be Due to Fatty Deposits
ROCHESTER, MINN. -- When you hear about fatty plaques on artery walls you probably worry about heart disease.
But those fatty plaques (atherosclerosis) can cause trouble spots other places, too, according to the April issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. Fatty deposits can reduce the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the gut, resulting in pain after eating. As the condition becomes more severe, it's not uncommon to experience a fear of eating that results in weight loss.
The condition, called chronic mesenteric ischemia (mez-un-TER-ik is-KEE-me-uh), usually can be treated with bypass surgery or angioplasty, where a tiny balloon in the end of a catheter is inflated to compress the fatty deposit and stretch the artery, making a wider path for blood flow.
Just like chest pain, chronic mesenteric ischemia is a warning sign of atherosclerosis. It's important to take steps to reduce your risk with a healthy diet, exercise, weight loss and no smoking.
Shelly Plutowski507-284-5005 (days)507-284-2511 (evenings)e-mail: [email protected]
Mayo Clinic Health Letter is an eight-page, monthly newsletter of reliable, accurate and practical information on today's health and medical news. To subscribe, please call toll-free 800-333-9037 and mention extension 9PR1.
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