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Treatment and prognosis

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

The treatment options for a patient with the cholesterol emboli syndrome are limited:

  • multiple treatment regimens have been generally unsuccessful in altering the course of the disease process
    • most significant impact on the disease can be made by its prevention
    • thrombolytic and anticoagulant treatments are not indicated and only supportive care for such symptoms as hypertension, ulceration, and gangrene is advocated (1)
  • amputation of affected lower limb may be necessary; an end-diastolic pneumatic boot has been used as an alternative to amputation (2)

Prognosis depends on the extent of the systemic disease and a high rate of mortality (75-80%) is recorded due to multifactorial, cardiac, and renal aetiologies

Notes:

  • statins may help to stabilise atheromatous plaques
  • steroids have previously been used to attempt to reduce the inflammatory component

Reference:

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