What is the most frequent source of peripheral arterial embolisms?

The most frequent source of peripheral arterial embolisms is indeed the heart. This occurs mainly due to conditions such as atrial fibrillation or valvular heart disease, where thrombi can form in the heart chambers and subsequently dislodge, traveling through the arterial system until they lodge in peripheral arteries. These embolisms can lead to ischemia and potentially catastrophic outcomes in the areas supplied by the affected artery.

While the aorta can also be a source of emboli, particularly in cases of atherosclerosis, the heart is considered the primary source because it is more directly associated with the mechanisms that produce movable thrombi. Peripheral arteries themselves typically are not a common source of emboli; instead, they are often the sites affected by these embolic events. The pulmonary veins primarily deal with blood transport to the heart and are less involved in the formation of emboli that travel to the peripheral arteries, emphasizing that the heart is the most critical area for embolic origin.