“In most cases, pulmonary embolism is caused by a blood clot in the leg that breaks loose and travels to the lungs. A blood clot in a vein close to the skin is not likely to cause problems. But having blood clots in deep veins (deep vein thrombosis) can lead to pulmonary embolism. More than 300,00 people each year have deep vein thrombosis or a pulmonary embolism. Other things can block an artery, such as tumors, air bubbles amniotic fluid, or fat that is released into the blood vessels when a bone is broken. But these are rare.”(1)
Pulmonary embolism is where a blood clot travels from the leg and will block the major artery that leads to the lungs. There are two different sizes of blood clots. The smaller blood clot reduces the blood flow to …show more content…
People are at a higher risk of getting PE if a family member has had pulmonary embolism in the past.
Long term bed rest, traveling or sitting for a long periods of time.
Some complications of pulmonary embolism:
“Cardiac arrest and sudden death.
Shock.
Abnormal heart rhythms.
Death of part of the lung called pulmonary infarction
A buildup of fluid (pleural effusion) between the outside lining of the lungs and the inner lining of the chest cavity.
Paradoxical Embolism
Pulmonary hypertension”(3)
Almost all the blood clots that cause pulmonary embolism, begin in the deep leg veins.
“An estimated 10% of patients with PE die with the first few hours after presentation. Most patients who die as a result of acute PE are never diagnosed before death.”(4)
To be able to diagnose a person correctly, there are different types of tests that will be run to rule out all possibilities:
Chest x-ray to rule out an enlarged heart.
EKG to rule out a possible heart attack.
Arterial blood gas analysis to test the blood oxygen levels.
Other possible testing could be: D-dimer.
CT scan,
Ventilation-perfusion scanning.
MRI.
Ultrasound,