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What Is Cholesterol Embolism?

Overview

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is found in the blood and for the cells to function properly, cholesterol is needed but if it is too high in the body it can lead to cholesterol embolism. Cholesterol can be found in foods such as meat, cheese, and egg yolks.

Cholesterol embolism, also known as atheroembolism, occurs when a crystal made up of proteins and platelets break away from the lining of a large artery. Atheroembolism can be defined as when a part of the cholesterol breaks away from a plaque deposit from a large artery and becomes stuck in a smaller artery.  This crystal travels into the bloodstream and then gets stuck in a small artery and causes blockage of blood flow to major organs like kidneys, muscles, eyes, the skin and brain. This blockage of blood flow to these organs may cause inflammations and other life-threatening conditions depending on the severity of the blockage of the artery.