Home > Injuries > Pulmonary Embolism

Pulmonary Embolism

Name: Phone: Email: State: Your Question: We value your privacy and security. Click here for WrongfulDeathNetwork.info's privacy and security policy.

A pulmonary embolism (thromboembolism) occurs when a blood clot, generally a venous thrombus, becomes dislodged from its site of formation and embolizes to the arterial blood supply of one of the lungs. Symptoms may include difficulty breathing, pain during breathing, and more rarely circulatory instability and death. Treatment is with anticoagulant medication, such as warfarin.

Clinical presentation
Signs of PE are sudden-onset dyspnea (shortness of breath, 73%), tachypnea (rapid breathing, 70%), chest pain of "pleuritic" nature (worsened by breathing, 66%), cough (37%), hemoptysis (coughing up blood, 13%), and in severe cases, cyanosis, tachycardia (rapid heart rate), hypotension, shock, loss of consciousness, and death. Although most cases have no clinical evidence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in the legs, findings that indicate DVT may aid in the diagnosis.

Risk factors
The most common sources of embolism are proximal leg deep venous thrombosis (DVTs) or pelvic vein thromboses. Any risk factor for DVT also increases the risk that the venous clot will dislodge and migrate to the lung circulation, which happens in up to 15% of all DVTs.

Risk factors for DVT and PE (together "venous thromboembolism" or VTE) can be divided into genetic, acquired and circumstantial causes. In many occasions, more than one risk factor is present:

Genetic
Factor V Leiden (3% of the population are heterozygous for FVL).
Prothrombin mutation (G20210A).
Protein C deficiency.
Protein S deficiency.
Antithrombin III deficiency.
High homocysteine levels due to MTHFR mutation.
Plasminogen and fibrinolysis disorders.
Acquired
Antiphospholipid antibodies
Anticardiolipin antibodies and/or lupus anticoagulants
Renal disease (renal loss of antithrombin)
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria
Circumstantial
Immobilisation, e.g., after surgery or trauma
Use of oral contraceptives
Obesity
Pregnancy
Cancer ( as in Trousseau's syndrome)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia