Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Abdominal angina overview
Introduction
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Overview
Overview
- Abdominal angina (a.k.a. bowelgina) is postprandial abdominal pain that occurs in individuals with insufficient blood flow to meet visceral demands. The term angina is used in reference to angina pectoris, a similar symptom due to obstruction of the coronary artery. The American Heritage Stedman’s Medical Dictionary defines abdominal angina (bowelgina) as “Intermittent abdominal pain, frequently occurring at a fixed time after eating, caused by inadequacy of the mesenteric circulation. Also called intestinal angina; bowelgina.” [1]
- Mesenteric ischemia is a type of peripheral vascular disease that occurs when the blood supply can not meet the metabolic demands of visceral organs. Acute mesenteric ischemia is a surgical emergency that presents severe abdominal pain which is described as “pain out of proportion to physical examination.” However, chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI) usually presents with vague abdominal pain that may be difficult to differentiate from other, more common causes of abdominal pain[2]