Angiodysplasia: What It Is, How It’s Treated, and What You Need to Know
When older adults start having unexplained angiodysplasia, a condition where abnormal blood vessels in the digestive tract leak slowly over time. Also known as arteriovenous malformations, it’s one of the top reasons people over 60 end up with anemia or need blood transfusions—without any obvious injury or ulcer. These tiny, twisted blood vessels show up mostly in the colon, but can also appear in the stomach or small intestine. They don’t cause pain, which is why many people don’t know they have them until they start losing blood quietly—sometimes for months.
Angiodysplasia isn’t cancer, and it’s not caused by diet or lifestyle. It’s linked to aging and how blood vessels change over time. People with kidney disease, heart valve problems, or a history of aortic stenosis are more likely to develop it. The real danger isn’t the vessels themselves, but the gastrointestinal bleeding, slow, hidden blood loss that leads to fatigue, dizziness, and low hemoglobin. Many patients are told they have "iron deficiency" for years before someone checks for this hidden source. It’s not rare—in fact, it accounts for up to 15% of all cases of obscure GI bleeding in older adults.
Diagnosis usually starts with a colonoscopy, but because the lesions are small and bleed intermittently, they’re easy to miss. Sometimes doctors need to use special techniques like capsule endoscopy or angiography to find them. Treatment is surprisingly straightforward: if the bleeding spot is found, it can often be stopped with a simple endoscopic treatment, a quick outpatient procedure using heat, clips, or injections to seal the leaking vessel. For those who bleed repeatedly, medications like octreotide can help reduce flow. Surgery is rare and only considered if everything else fails.
What’s important to understand is that angiodysplasia doesn’t go away on its own. But it also doesn’t always need aggressive treatment. If you’re not actively bleeding or anemic, your doctor might just monitor you. The key is catching it early before your body starts struggling to replace lost blood. Many patients feel better within weeks after treatment—no major lifestyle changes needed.
Below, you’ll find real-world guides on managing side effects after medication switches, how to report adverse reactions, and what to do when bleeding happens unexpectedly. These aren’t just theory—they’re the tools people actually use to live with conditions like angiodysplasia without being scared or confused.
Lower GI Bleeding: What You Need to Know About Diverticula and Angiodysplasia
Lower GI bleeding is often caused by diverticula or angiodysplasia, especially in older adults. Learn how these conditions differ, how doctors diagnose them, and what treatments actually work.
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