<P> Risk factors for thromboembolism, the major cause of arterial embolism, include disturbed blood flow (such as in atrial fibrillation and mitral stenosis), injury or damage to an artery wall, and hypercoagulability (such as increased platelet count). Mitral stenosis poses a high risk of forming emboli which may travel to the brain and cause stroke . Endocarditis increases the risk for thromboembolism, by a mixture of the factors above . </P> <P> Atherosclerosis in the aorta and other large blood vessels is a common risk factor, both for thromboembolism and cholesterol embolism . The legs and feet are major impact sites for these types . Thus, risk factors for atherosclerosis are risk factors for arterial embolisation as well: </P> <Ul> <Li> advanced age </Li> <Li> cigarette smoking </Li> <Li> hypertension (high blood pressure) </Li> <Li> obesity </Li> <Li> hyperlipidemia, e.g. hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, elevated lipoprotein (a) or apolipoprotein B, or decreased levels of HDL cholesterol) </Li> <Li> diabetes mellitus </Li> <Li> Sedentary lifestyle </Li> <Li> stress </Li> </Ul> <Li> hypertension (high blood pressure) </Li>

Which of the following are characteristic signs of acute arterial embolism