Pulmonary embolism: Treatment, symptoms, advice and help

About pulmonary embolism

Pulmonary embolism is a common but potentially lethal condition that may cause serious complications and even result in death.

If a blood clot, also known as ‘thrombus’ forms in the one of the body's veins, it can enter the circulatory system and subsequently travel through the heart before lodging itself in the one of the branches of the pulmonary artery of the lung. Pulmonary artery is the blood vessel that supplies blood to the lungs. A travelling clot is termed as embolus (plural emboli). Thus, pulmonary embolus clogs the artery that provides blood supply to the lungs. This not only prevents the exchange of gases, but also decreases blood supply to the lung tissue, potentially depriving the lung tissue of oxygen and causing it to die (infarct).

Pulmonary embolism: Incidence, age and sex

The average annual incidence of pulmonary embolism is 1 per 1000 people with about 2,50,000 new cases every year. Both genders are equally affected, but some studies have shown a significantly lower rate of recurrent pulmonary embolism in women. It is rarely seen in younger age group.

Signs and symptoms of pulmonary embolism: Diagnosis

Affected individuals may exhibit symptoms of respiratory or heart diseases. Such features include chest pain and shortness of breath. Chest pain is sharp and may worsen during deep breathing. Such pain is characteristically termed as pleuritic pain. There may be cough with blood-stained sputum. Blood pressure and respiratory rate may be normal, but frequently there may be elevated heart rate. The affected individual may feel light-headed or exhibit a bluish discoloration of skin (cyanosis).

In some cases, pulmonary embolism may lead to sudden death, wherein the patient collapses, stops breathing, and the heart stops beating. In short, the heart and respiratory system fail to function.

Unfortunately, the diagnosis is often missed, because pulmonary embolism generally causes only vague and non-specific symptoms.

Causes and prevention of pulmonary embolism

Pulmonary embolism is the end result of a blood clot in the body which mostly occurs in the deep veins of the legs, a condition termed as deep vein thrombosis. So the risk factors for pulmonary embolism are same as that of deep vein thrombosis which includes extended travelling or bed rest for prolonged periods. Long-term consumption of blood-clotting medications or birth-control pills also contributes to the development of deep vein thrombosis. Smoking and trauma to the leg with or without smoking may also contribute to this condition. Minimizing the risk of occurrence of deep vein thrombosis is important in preventing pulmonary embolism.

Pulmonary embolism: Complications

Pulmonary embolism is difficult to diagnose in the early stages due to non-specific symptoms. Therefore, it may present itself late with severe symptoms such as heart failure, palpitations, pulmonary hypertension, severe breathing difficulty, profuse bleeding, or even sudden death.

Pulmonary embolism: Treatment

Pulmonary embolism is a medical emergency, which requires immediate medical attention. The goal of treatment is to stabilize the cardiovascular system and prevention of formation of new clots. The treatment includes clot-dissolving medications like streptokinase and t-PA are given. Blood thinning medications like heparin and warfarin (Coumadin) may also be prescribed to prevent clots from forming.The prognosis depends upon the underlying health of the patient, size of the pulmonary embolus, cause of pulmonary embolus, and severity of the condition.