What are the Causes of Ischemia?
The major cause of ischemia is atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Plaque, a hard, sticky substance consists mostly of fatty accumulations within the arteries, resulting in stiffening and narrowing. This reduces blood flow.
Ischemia may also occur due to the following reasons:
- Low blood pressure (hypotension) as a result of heart attack or shock
- Sickle cell anemia [5]
- Blood clots in arteries
- Compression or blockage of a blood vessel (from a tumor or musculoskeletal abnormality)
- Anemia
- Microvascular blockages from blood abnormalities (abnormal cells in Sickle Cell disease, hyperviscosity syndromes from cancers, or septic emboli)
- Congenital heart defects [6]