Arterial embolism
Key points
- Arterial embolism is a sudden interruption of blood flow to an organ or body part.
- An embolus is a clot (or a piece of plaque that acts in the same manner as a clot) that travels from the site where it formed to another location in the body.
- Symptoms may begin abruptly or slowly depending on the size of the embolus and the extent to which it blocks the blood flow.
- There may be decreased or absent pulse, and/or decreased or absent blood pressure in the extremity.
Definition
Arterial embolism is a sudden interruption of blood flow to an organ or body part. This is caused when the artery that supplies the blood to that organ or body part is blocked by an embolus (blood clot or atherosclerotic plaque) that has moved in the bloodstream from its point of origin to a new location.
The point of origin for the embolus can be the heart or a large blood vessel.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
An embolus is a clot (or a piece of plaque that acts in the same manner as a clot) that travels from the site where it formed to another location in the body. The embolism can lodge in an artery at the new location and block the flow of blood there.
The blockage deprives the tissues in that location of its normal blood flow and oxygen (lack of blood and oxygen is called "ischemia"). This can result in damage or even death of the tissues (necrosis) in that organ.
Arterial embolism may be caused by a single embolus or multiple emboli.
Arterial emboli can affect the extremities - especially the legs and feet. Some may involve the brain, causing a Stroke , or the heart, causing a Heart attack . Less common sites include the kidneys, gut (intestines), and the eyes.
A major risk for emboli is Atrial Fibrillation because the blood flow through the atria can be slow enough to trigger clots to form, which can then travel (embolize). The risk of an embolism increases when factors that tend to form clots are increased.
These may include injury or damage to an artery wall, hematologic (blood component) conditions associated with increased clotting (such as increased platelet count), and other disorders.
Another condition that poses a high risk for embolization (especially to the brain) is mitral stenosis. Endocarditis may also cause arterial emboli (paradoxical embolization), if a clot travels through a hole in the heart called the foramen ovale.
If an embolism involves the arteries supplying blood flow to the lungs, it is called pulmonary embolism, rather than arterial embolism, and it is a different condition (that is, clots originated in the veins, not the arteries). Endocarditis can also cause pulmonary embolism.
Symptoms
EMBOLIZATION IN AN EXTREMITY
- muscle pain in the extremity (see Knee pain, Foot pain)
- Numbness and tingling in the extremity
Written and revised by
David Cohen, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.