Pulmonary embolus

Pulmonary Embolus
Pulmonary embolus (PE) is caused by an obstruction of flow in the pulmonary arteries due to arterial occlusion.

Pulmonary embolus
Definition
A pulmonary embolus is a blockage of an artery in the lungs by fat, air, a blood clot, or tumor cells.

Pulmonary embolus
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Pulmonary embolus
Alternate Names : Venous thromboembolism, Lung blood clot, Blood clot - lung, Embolus, Tumor embolus
Definition ...

A pulmonary embolus is most often caused by a blood clot in a vein, especially a vein in the leg or in the pelvis (hip area). The most common cause is a blood clot in one of the deep veins of the legs.

A pulmonary embolus may be caused by:
air bubbles, which may occur in scuba divers who return to the surface too quickly or during medical procedures
the amniotic fluid that surrounds a baby in the womb.

Pulmonary embolus (a blood clot in the lung) occurs in a small number of people who have a DVT. An embolus is a part of a blood clot which breaks off and travels in the bloodstream.

Pulmonary Embolus
A massive pulmonary embolus is normally fatal.
Multiple small infarcts may cause lung damage.

Pulmonary embolus
an embolus arising from the leg veins or pelvis which blocks the artery to the lungs (may be fatal)
Stent ...

Pulmonary embolus
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
Sinus venous thrombosis (cerebral vein clots) ...

Pulmonary embolus, a blood clot to the lung, can also cause sudden death. Clots form in the leg or arm and may break off and flow to the lung where they decrease the lung's ability to get oxygen from the air to the body.

PULMONARY EMBOLUS: Lodgment of an embolus (mobile blood clot) in the lung tissue. [see 'Chest pain']
PULSE: The rhythmic expansion of an artery which can be felt.
PUNCTURED LUNG: See PNEUMOTHORAX.

Pulmonary embolus
Part of a blood clot (DVT) which breaks off and travels in the blood stream and becomes stuck in the lung.
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A pulmonary embolus is a blood clot that has been carried through the blood into the pulmonary artery (the main blood vessel from the heart to the lung) or one of its branches, plugging that vessel.

Hypoxia, pulmonary embolus, sepsis, delirium, hypoglycemia, bleeding coronary occlusion, or heart failure.
Hormone-secreting tumors
Pheochromocytoma, thyroid adenoma or carcinoma, parathyroid adenoma, corticotropin-producing tumors, and insulinoma.

Following a pulmonary embolus, a search should be made for any conditions which increase the risk of further episodes, such as Hughes' syndrome.

A newer test that is becoming more widely used to diagnose a pulmonary embolus is a non-invasive x-ray study called a spiral CT scan.

Pulmonary embolus (blood clot).
Pleural effusion
Inflammation can trigger a build-up of fluid between the two membranes.

Rehabilitation is more extensive if the individual must regain strength and mobility following surgical removal of the pulmonary embolus.

A pulmonary embolus is a blood clot that travels through the bloodstream to the lungs, blocking the flow of blood (1). This can be a serious and even fatal condition (2).

In the case of suspected pulmonary embolus, both ventilation and perfusion scans are performed either simultaneously or one immediately after the other. If ventilation is normal but perfusion is abnormal, a "mismatch" is said to exist.

The patient is evaluated for potentially treatable causes, such as hypoxia, massive volume loss, cardiac tamponade, tension pneumothorax, or massive pulmonary embolus. Unfortunately, many causes will not be identified during CPR.

Many other conditions can cause similar symptoms of pulmonary distress, including pneumonia, asthma, heart failure, pulmonary embolus, pulmonary edema, and many more. For this reason, the diagnosis of ARDS must meet certain criteria.

Pulmonary embolism: A pulmonary embolus is a blood clot in one of the major blood vessels that supplies the lungs. It is a potentially life-threatening cause of chest pain but is not associated with the heart.

A pulmonary embolus may be associated with shortness of breath, a low-grade fever and a cough that brings up small amounts of blood. A person with lung cancer may have unexplained weight loss and cough and a strong history of smoking.

The benefits of heparin in preventing a pulmonary embolus must be balanced with the increased risk of bleeding related to heparin.

Current deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolus (PE)
Migraine headache with aura while using Depo-Provera
Before evaluation of unexplained vaginal bleeding suspected of being a serious condition ...

Other terms: Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), Pulmonary Embolus (PE), embolus, thrombus
What is a blood clot and is it related to chemotherapy?

If a clot involves the arteries supplying blood flow to the lungs, it is called a pulmonary embolus.
Symptoms
Symptoms may begin quickly or slowly depending on the size of the embolus and how much it blocks the blood flow.

Cancers, such as lung, breast, lymphoma, or mesothelioma
Chest injury or trauma
Radiation therapy
Pulmonary embolus (blood clot in the lungs)
Abdominal infections or pancreatitis
Surgery, especially involving ...

Predisposing Factors
Many factors may predispose to pulmonary embolus. The most important predisposing factors are: ...

Clots tend to break into pieces. These pieces may float in the bloodstream until they block a blood vessel. A pulmonary embolus is a blood clot that breaks off from the wall of a blood vessel and travels to the lungs.

May be mild or absent
Some patients present with shortness of breath due to a clot in the lung (i.e., pulmonary embolus).
If it occurs suddenly: ...

Blood clots in the legs
Deep venous thrombosis (DVT)
Hepatic vein obstruction (Budd-Chiari syndrome)
Mesenteric vein thrombosis
Pulmonary embolus
Stroke
Stroke secondary to cardiogenic embolism ...

A pulmonary angiogram may be used to assess the blood flow to the lungs. One of the primary indications for the procedure is the diagnosis of a pulmonary embolus (clot).

Blood clots in the veins or venous system can travel through the bloodstream and cause deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in the veins of the pelvis, leg, arm, liver, intestines or kidneys) or a pulmonary embolus (blood clot in the lungs).

Gene Review: Prothrombin Thrombophilia
Gene Tests: Prothrombin Thrombophilia
Lab Tests Online
MedlinePlus Encyclopedia: Deep venous thrombosis
MedlinePlus Encyclopedia: Pulmonary embolus ...

Heart and cardiovascular system: Inflammation of heart's outer layer (Pericarditis), low blood pressure, thromboembolic such as arterial thrombosis, cerebral thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, and pulmonary embolus.

The sooner you are evaluated, the sooner you can receive proper diagnosis and treatment. For example, although the cause of acute chest pain may be pericarditis, the cause could also be a heart attack or a blood clot of the lungs (pulmonary embolus).

Blood clots in the deep veins can be serious because the clot or part of it can break off and move through the blood vessels. A clot that blocks an artery in your lung (pulmonary embolus) can be life-threatening.

when blood clots are present in the large veins of the legs, the pelvis, or the arms of the body. These blood clots can break free from their formation in the veins, travel through the heart into the lungs and there cause a deadly pulmonary embolus.

alcohol (sometimes known as 'holiday heart' syndrome)
Low potassium, magnesium, or calcium levels in the body
Following surgery of any kind
Hypothermia (low body temperature)
Respiratory causes, such as pneumonia, lung cancer or pulmonary embolus ...

bove the chest -- In the chest there may be atelectasis (lung collapse), lung fibrosis, painful pleurisy, pulmonary embolus, or a rib fracture.

(22 causes), Intermittent episodic COPD-like symptoms (10 causes), Acute recurring COPD-like symptoms (22 causes), Lung stiff (4 causes), Acute chronic bronchitis-like symptoms (16 causes), Adenoids inflammation (6 causes), Pulmonary embolus (7 ...

See also: Embolus, Symptom, Cancer, Surgery, Injury