Patient was educated on the risk factors for ischemic bowel disease as follows:
- Atherosclerosis
- Patients with cholesterol deposits in the inner lining of the blood vessels supplying oxygenated blood to the intestines are at high risk for ischemic bowel disease, as the arteries are narrowed by cholesterol deposits.
- Low blood volume in circulation
- Patients with reduced blood volume, secondary to hemorrhage or any extensive surgery or dehydration are prone for ischemic bowel disease, secondary to low volume.
- Congestive heart failure
- Patients with heart failure have less oxygenated blood pumped out of the heart to the vital organs.
- So, reduced blood flow to the intestines can result in ischemic bowel disease.
- Abnormal heartbeat
- Patients with ventricular fibrillation can form blood clots and these clots can travel to the blood vessels supplying the intestines and obstruct the flow of oxygenated blood to the intestines.
- Patients with massive heart attack
- Heart muscle can be damaged in patients with massive heart attack.
- Extensively damaged heart muscle cannot pump oxygenated blood out efficiently, thus compromising blood supply to all vital organs, including the intestines.
