Oral anticoagulant therapy: a precipitating factor in the pathogenesis of cholesterol embolization?

The authors describe three patients who developed a blue toe syndrome after initiation of oral anticoagulant therapy. Based on these observations and data in the literature, they discuss a possible relationship. They conclude that the vascular surgeon should be aware of this possibility and that oral anticoagulants should be used very carefully in the "medical" management of cholesterol embolization.