PVD may involve emboli that affect which areas?

• A. Nose, ear, fingers, and toes
• B. Lungs
• C. Brain
• D. Abdomen

Answer: (A)

Emboli in peripheral vascular disease tend to lodge in end-arterial beds where there’s little collateral blood flow. The tissues most vulnerable are the small, terminal branches supplying the digits and the exposed facial structures like the nose and ears. When an embolus blocks these small arteries, perfusion drops quickly, leading to ischemia in the fingers, toes, nose, and ears. While emboli can affect other organs, the pattern most associated with PVD-related embolic events is ischemia in these end-arterial areas.