Atheroembolic renal disease

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Male urinary system

Renal disease - atheroembolic; Cholesterol embolization syndrome; Atheroemboli - renal; Atherosclerotic disease - renal

AERD may not cause any symptoms. If there are symptoms, they may begin suddenly, or slowly get worse over weeks or even months. Symptoms may include:

• Fever, muscle aches, headaches, and weight loss
• Flank (sides of the body) pain and blood in the urine (rare)
• Foot pain, ulcers on the feet, or “blue toes”
• High blood pressure that is difficult to control
• Pain in the abdomen, nausea, or vomiting
• Pancreatitis or hepatitis (rare)
• Strokes or blindness

Kidney failure may result in:

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• Decrease in sensation (feeling)
• Decreased or no urine output
• Drowsiness, confusion, lethargy
• Dry itchy skin
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea or vomiting
• Skin pigment changes
• Swelling
• Weight loss

The doctor will perform a physical exam. Swelling may affect the entire body. An eye exam may show particles in the small arteries of the retina.

The doctor will listen to your lungs and heart with a stethoscope. Abnormal sounds may be heard. For example, a loud whooshing sound called a bruit may be heard over the aorta or renal artery.

Blood pressure may be high. There may be multiple ulcers of the skin of the lower feet.

Tests that may be done include:

• Abdominal CT scan
• Abdominal MRI
• Abdominal x-ray
• Chem-7 or chem-20
• Complete blood count
• Kidney biopsy
• Kidney function tests including BUN and creatinine
• Kidney or abdominal ultrasound
• Renal arteriography
• Serum complement
• Serum lipids
• Urinalysis

Review Date: 05/20/2009
Reviewed By: Parul Patel, MD, Private Practice specializing in Nephrology and Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, Affiliated with California Pacific Medical Center, Department of Transplantation, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).