Clogged arteries in the gut?

Known as intestinal angina, this rare but serious condition causes severe belly pain after eating.

Cholesterol-filled plaque and clots can lurk in blood vessels throughout the body. While the arteries that supply the heart are by far the most common hiding place, arteries elsewhere in the body can also become severely narrowed by plaque.

Clogged vessels in the legs (and less commonly, the arms) can lead to limb pain during exercise, because the nearby muscles don't get enough blood to work properly. People with this problem—called peripheral artery disease, or PAD—are also at risk for narrowing in the arteries that feed the intestines.