Many of these people suffer from some form of cardiovascular disease. The symptoms of ischemic colitis may appear suddenly. They include abdominal pain, cramps, nausea, vomiting, and, most typically, bloody diarrhea. Barium enema and, in some cases, colonoscopy are used to help make a diagnosis. If a physician suspects that a patient suffers from ischemic colitis, the person must be carefully monitored.
Treatment depends on a particular patient's symptoms and complications.
The differentiation between ischemic colitis and IBD is not always possible. Clinical researchers are evaluating new diagnostic techniques to determine whether they will aid in early identification and treatment of these disorders.