Pulmonary Embolism |
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DESCRIPTION
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A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot or piece of fat blocking an artery in the lung. Clots can develop in any vein, break loose, and go to the lungs.
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CAUSES
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Most pulmonary embolisms are clots that come from deep veins in the legs or pelvis. Fatty embolisms usually come from a break in a bone or, during pregnancy, from amniotic fluid. This type of embolism occurs less frequently. Chances of a blood clot forming increase if you sit or lie in one spot for a long time. Surgery, heart problems, and taking birth control pills also increase your chances of forming a clot.
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SYMPTOMS
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The most common symptoms are trouble breathing and sudden chest pain that worsens with deep breathing. Other signs are faintness or fainting, coughing (sometimes with blood), a fast heartbeat, and a low fever.
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CARE
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While in the hospital, you will have tests to find the blood clot. These may include a chest x-ray, pulmonary angiogram, venogram, or lung scan (also called a VP scan). These are all types of pictures of the chest, arteries, veins, and lungs. You may be given oxygen, blood thinners, and pain medicine, and surgery may be needed to remove the clot.
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COMPLICATIONS
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s If the pulmonary embolism is not treated it can cause part of the lung to die. Thousands of people a year get a pulmonary embolism and some do die. But if you see your doctor right away, you can be treated safely with fewer problems. Without treatment, your chances of getting another potentially fatal embolism increase.
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