Pulmonary embolism
Also called: PE
This can be a medical emergency. Call emergency services for sudden breathlessness, chest pain or coughing blood.
A blood clot, usually from a leg vein, lodges in the arteries of the lungs. It blocks blood flow to part of the lung and strains the right side of the heart; large clots can be fatal.
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Causes
- Clot travelling from a deep vein thrombosis
Risk factors
- Same as DVT: surgery, immobility, cancer, pregnancy, oestrogen, previous clots, thrombophilia
Symptoms
- Sudden breathlessness
- Sharp chest pain worse on breathing in
- Coughing blood
- Fast heart rate
- Fainting or collapse with large clots
Diagnosis — tests and examinations
- Wells score and D-dimer
- CT pulmonary angiography
- Ventilation–perfusion (V/Q) scan in pregnancy or kidney disease
- Echocardiography for right heart strain
Treatment
Medicines and medical treatment
- Anticoagulation for at least 3 months
- Thrombolysis for massive PE with low blood pressure
Operations and procedures
- Catheter-directed therapy or surgical embolectomy
- IVC filter if anticoagulation is contraindicated
Self-care, home remedies and lifestyle
- Gradual return to activity
- Take anticoagulants exactly as prescribed
Possible complications
- Death
- Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension
- Recurrence
Prevention
- Clot prevention in hospital and after surgery
- Mobility and hydration during travel
Outlook
Most treated patients recover; untreated PE has a high mortality.
When to see a doctor
Call emergency services for sudden breathlessness, chest pain or coughing blood.
Sources and further reading
These sources cover this condition. They have not been checked against every statement on this page.
Related conditions
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