Pulmonary Embolism

Question 1

PE

Answer 1

• when thrombus breaks off and become embolus,
  which traveling up the femoral vain to the lungs via the pulmonary trunk and left and right pulmonary arties.

Question 2

PE risk factors

Answer 2

High risk:
- fracture (hip or leg)
- major general surgery, major trauma, spinal cord injury.

Moderate risk:
- CHF or respiratory failure
- chemotherapy
- hormone replacement therapy
- cancer, paralytic stroke, post-partum, previous VTE (DVT), thrombophilia

Low risk:
- bed rest for more than 3 days,
- prolonged car or air travel
- increased age
- obesity, pregnancy, varicose veins

Question 3

PE signs and sympotms

Answer 3

• difficulty breathing (Dyspnoea)
• rapid breathing (tachypnoea)
• pleuritic chest pain

other signs:
- RR > 20
- HR >100
- SPO2 <92%
- sign of DVT (pain, swelling, tenderness often in calf)

other symptoms:
- substernal chest pain
- cough
- haemoptysis
- syncope (faint)

Question 4

PE management

Answer 4

• swift transport to hospital
• ABC’s
• position of comfort
• O2
  -be prepared for cardiac arrest