How dangerous is pulmonary embolism (PE)? after giving birth .
In most cases, pulmonary embolism is caused by blood clots that travel to the lungs from deep veins in the legs or, rarely, from veins in other parts of the body (deep vein thrombosis). Because the clots block blood flow to the lungs, pulmonary embolism can be life-threatening. However, prompt treatment greatly reduces the risk of death.
A condition in which one of the pulmonary arteries in the lungs gets blocked by a blood clot. This causes chest pain, breathlessness and cough.
Condition Highlight
- Urgent medical attention is usually recommended by healthcare providers
Condition Highlight
- May be dangerous or life threatening
Is condition treatable?
- Treatable by a medical professional
Does diagnosis require lab test or imaging?
- Requires lab test or imaging
Time taken for recovery
- Can last several days or weeks
Condition Highlight
- Common for ages 60 and older
Condition Highlight
- Family history may increase likelihood
Symptoms
If you or someone you know is exhibiting symptoms of Pulmonary embolism, seek medical attention immediately.
Symptoms of pulmonary embolism can vary depending on how much of the lung is involved, size of the embolus and whether there was any underlying lung or heart disease.
Common symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath: typically occurs suddenly and is worsened on exertion
- Chest pain: It can be confused with the Chest pain of heart attack. pain worsens on inspiration (pleurisy), cough, bending or stooping. pain gets worse on exertion but does not reduce on rest
- Cough: cough may be associated with blood or blood-streaked sputum production
Other symptoms that can occur include:
- Pain or swelling in the leg; usually in the calf region
- Discoloured skin
- Fever
- Excessive sweating
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
- Dizziness or light-headedness
Causes
Pulmonary embolism cannot be attributed to a single definite cause.
The several risk factors include:
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)- About 90% of emboli are from proximal leg DVT, so it follows that the risk factors for DVT are also the risk factors for PE. The three main factors, also commonly called Virchow’s triad include -
Alterations in normal blood flow (stasis) or prolonged immobilization. Eg. Travel, prolonged hospitalisation, fracture
Increased clotting potential of the blood- which can be a result of factors or conditions such as
- Pregnancy
- Surgery
- Medications- birth control pills, oestrogen
- Polycythemia - increase in red blood cells in the body
- Cancer
- Genetic predisposition - family history
- Damage to walls of blood vessels
- Surgery
- Injury
Prevention
PE can be prevented by preventing clot formation in the deep veins of the legs (deep vein thrombosis). This is achieved by:
- Anticoagulants: Given to those who are prone to blood clots.
- Compression stockings: Help the veins and muscles of the leg to move blood efficiently.
- Leg elevation: Physical activity: mobility as soon as possible after major surgery.
- During travelling: the risk of development of clots increases with increase in travelling time. Follow these measures -
- Drink plenty of water.
- Avoid sitting for long duration. Move around in the flight and flex your ankles every 15-30 minutes.
Complications
Pulmonary embolism can be life-threatening. One-third of undiagnosed and untreated patients do not survive. Pulmonary embolism can lead to pulmonary hypertension, a condition in which the blood pressure in the lungs and right side of the heart is increased. When the arteries in the lung are obstructed, the heart has to work harder to push blood through those vessels. This increases pressure in these vessels and the right side of the heart, which can weaken the heart. A condition called heart failure where the heart pumps less strongly than normal is caused. In some cases, cardiac arrest (a condition where the heart stops) is seen, and this can be fatal.
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