Mesenteric Artery Stenosis
Mesenteric (or intestinal) artery disease is a condition that develops when the arteries in the abdomen that supply the intestines become narrowed, or blocked, by an accumulation of a fatty substance called plaque. As plaque builds up inside the artery walls, the arteries can become hardened and narrowed (a process called atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis affects up to 35 percent of Americans, and can cause narrowing (also called stenosis) of any of the arteries throughout the body.
As atherosclerosis affects the whole body, people with mesenteric artery narrowing often have other cardiovascular conditions such as carotid artery disease and heart disease. In mesenteric artery disease, the arteries supplying blood to the intestines are narrowed; people with this condition lose weight and experience severe pain when they eat.