Cholesterol embolism: the great masquerader.

Embolization of cholesterol crystals from ulcerated atheromatous lesions can produce distinct syndromes that mimic more common disease processes. Cholesterol emboli can present as renal failure, hypertension, spells of numbness, abdominal pain, and myocardial infarction, or as a multisystem disease that closely approximates the presentation, clinical course, and even biopsy picture of polymyositis or periarteritis nodosa. A review of this problem with particular attention to the clinical presentations should help in the early diagnosis and treatment of cholesterol emboli and avoid unnecessary and inappropriate therapies.