Splinter Hemorrhages — Endocarditis

A 42-year-old man with a history of intravenous drug use presents with fever, malaise, and new cardiac murmur. On examination, linear red-brown lesions are noted under the fingernails. Blood cultures grow Staphylococcus aureus from two separate sets. Echocardiography reveals vegetations on the tricuspid valve with septic pulmonary emboli on chest X-ray. The structure marked **D** in the diagram represents the embolic phenomenon characteristic of infective endocarditis. Which of the following best describes the pathophysiologic mechanism underlying the clinical manifestations seen in this patient?