heart and blood vessel disorders
Occlusive Peripheral Arterial Disease
Sudden blockage of an artery
Sudden, complete blockage of an artery may result when a blood clot (thrombus) forms in an artery that is already narrowed. A sudden blockage may also result when a clot breaks off (becoming an embolus) from a site such as the heart or aorta, travels through the bloodstream, and lodges in an artery downstream. Some disorders increase the risk of blood clot formation. They include Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter , other heart disorders, and Sometimes an atheroma can rupture into the blood vessel and trigger the formation of a blood clot that suddenly blocks an artery. Other times, a piece of fatty material breaks off from an atheroma and suddenly blocks an artery. Sudden blockage may also result from an Aortic Dissection , in which the inner layer of the aorta tears, allowing blood to surge through the tear and separate the inner layer from the middle layer of the aorta. As the dissection enlarges, it can block one or more arteries connected to the aorta. 