Pulmonary Embolism Flashcards
What is an embolism?
An embolism is a lodging of an embolus. A blockage-causing piece of material: a blood clot, a fat globule, a bubble of air or other gas, amniotic fluid or foreign material.
What is a thromboembolism?
An embolism in which the embolus is a piece of thrombus is called a thromboembolism
What is the effect of an embolism?
An embolism can cause a partial or total blockage of blood flow in the affected vessel(s). Such blockages can affect a part of the body distant from the origin of the embolus.
Name examples of severe damage outcomes as the result of an embolism
Pulmonary embolism, a stroke or a heart attack.
What is a pulmonary embolism (pulmonary embolus)?
A pulmonary embolism is a sudden blockage in your pulmonary arteries, the blood vessels that send blood to your lungs.
What is an embolus?
A blood clot that travels to another part of your body.
For example: a blood clot in the deep veins of the leg breaks off and travels to the lungs. Creating a pulmonary embolus blocking blood flow to the lungs (a pulmonary embolism).
What are the causes of a pulmonary embolism?
The most common cause is the breaking off of a blood clot in the legs deep veins, known as deep vein thrombosis.
Other rare causes: air bubbles, DVT in the upper body, fat embolus (usually from a severely broken bone) or tumors.
When are pulmonary embolisms more likely?
- Childbirth
- A heart attack or stroke
- Long plane or car rides
- Long-term bed rest,
- Severe injuries, burns or fractures
- Surgery
Wha are pulmonary embolism symptoms?
Depending on the size of the clot and overall health, symptoms vary. But as blood flow becomes more blocked, symptoms may be as follows:
- Coughing, including bloody mucus
- Dizziness
- Heart palpitations, sensations of your heart racing or pounding
- Leg pain or swelling
- Sharp, sudden chest pain
- Shortness of breath that worsens with exertion
What complications can arise from an untreated pulmonary embolism?
- Cardiac arrest
- Cardiac arrhythmia
- Pleural effusion (fluid build up in the membrane around your lungs)
- Pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in your lungs)
- Pulmonary infarction (when lung tissue dies)
What is chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH)
People who have multiple small pulmonary emboli that develop over time, a chronic condition (rare).
How do we diagnose a pulmonary embolism?
After enquiring about symptoms the following tests can be ordered to diagnose a pulmonary embolism:
- Blood test (to check blood clot risks)
- Chest x-ray (of heart and lungs)
- CT pulmonary angiography (x-ray and computer creates cross-sections 3D images of lungs and pulmonary arteries)
- Doppler ultrasound (using waves to check for DVT)
- Echocardiogram (to view your hearts structures and blood vessels)
- Lab tests (pulse oximetry or artieral blood gas)
- Pulmonary angiogram (to see how blood flows through the pulmonary arteries)
- Ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) scan (checks for pulmonary hypertension)
Pulmonary embolism treatment
Rapid treatment provides better outcomes for both acute (sudden) and chronic (long-lasting) pulmonary embolisms.
- Medication to dissolve (thrombolytics) blood clots or blood thinners (anticoagulants)
- Clot removal (surgery via a catheter at targeted blood clots)
- Inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement (using a catheter to position a filter into the inferior vena cava, the main vein carrying blood from your legs to your heart to help catch emboli and prevent them from travelling to your heart or lungs)
- Usually for people with CTEPH: balloon pulmonary angioplasty. A catheter is inserted through a blood vessel in the groin and guided to the pulmonary arteries. Once in position in the blocked artery, the balloon is inflated to open the blockage and restore blood flow.
What are blood clot risk factors?
- Cancer
- Family history of blood clots or clotting disorders
- Heart disease
- Health history of blood clots or clotting disorders
- Long-term use of birth control pills or estrogen therapy
