Occlusion

Updated on: August 18, 2014

In the body there is a whole system of blood vessels, which includes arteries and veins. The arteries take all oxygenated blood to the rest of the body and the veins return all the deoxygenated blood back to the lungs. Arteries and veins are found in every organ in the body. Sometimes, diseases can occur in the artery or the vein. In general, the artery or vein either become narrow or become blocked. When the vessel is completely blocked, it is known as occlusion. When the vessel is partially narrowed, the process is known as stenosis

Why do arteries get narrowed?


The major reason why arteries get narrowed is atherosclerosis or a process of cholesterol build up in the inside of the vessel wall. This cholesterol build up is gradual and eventually leads to complete occlusion. Cholesterol build up is common in the blood vessels of the heart, legs, brain, kidneys and bowels.

Why do veins gets occluded?

Veins in general get occluded from blood clots. These blood clots may build up gradually and cause occlusion of the vein. Occasionally, the blood clots from the legs may break off and cause complete blockage of the blood vessels in the lung.

What happens if the artery is occluded?


Since arteries supply oxygen and blood to the tissues, any occlusion will lead to oxygen deprivation. This is what is seen in a heart attack or a stroke. Occlusion can occur in any vessel in the body and the symptoms will depend on what organ is affected.

What happens when the vein is occluded?

The function of veins is to take blood back to the lungs. When the veins become occluded, the blood starts to collect and leads to pooling of the blood. When the vein in the leg is occluded, the leg will swell up as the blood has no where else to go.

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