Pulmonary Embolism
Pulmonary embolism is a condition where the pulmonary artery becomes blocked. The pulmonary artery is a blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lungs.
The material blocking the pulmonary artery is usually a blood clot that originates from the leg or another part of the body.
The size of the blood clot that blocks is usually quite small, so it is not life-threatening. Even though the blood clot is small, it can still block the blood supply to certain organs.
Therefore, it is important to treat this condition as soon as possible to avoid serious impacts that could endanger life.
Pulmonary embolism is a serious condition that can cause:
- Permanent damage to the lungs.
- Oxygen levels in the blood decrease.
- Damage to other organs in the body due to not getting enough oxygen.
Symptoms of Pulmonary Embolism
The conditions that occur in people with pulmonary embolism at the beginning can vary from person to person.
This will depend on the extent of the lung affected, the size of the blood clot, and the person’s overall health, particularly the condition of their heart and lungs.
Common symptoms of this condition include:
- Cough. Usually, the cough that occurs is a dry cough , but the cough can also contain phlegm or blood.
- Pain in the chest or upper back. The pain feels sharp like being stabbed. This condition will be more painful when trying to take a deeper breath, coughing, eating, and when bending over. The symptoms are similar to a heart attack.
- Shortness of breath. This symptom can appear suddenly and can get worse. If you experience it, you need to take first aid measures to overcome it. In addition, there are several general symptoms that can occur from this condition:
- Dizziness or even fainting.
- The skin on the tips of the fingers and lips turns blue.
- Excessive sweating.
- The heart beats faster and palpitates.
- Restless and feverish.
Causes of Pulmonary Embolism
The cause of pulmonary embolism is usually a blood clot in the leg called deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Once a clot forms in a vein in the leg, it is possible for part of the clot to break off and travel through the blood to another area of the body, often to the lungs.
In addition, some other, rarer causes include:
- Air bubbles.
- Fat from the marrow of broken long bones.
- Part of the tumor.
- Amniotic fluid.
Pulmonary Embolism Risk Factors
There are a number of factors that can increase the risk of blood clots, including:
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Have a history of blood clots
Someone who has had a blood clot is at higher risk of getting it. Especially if their relatives, such as parents, have also had blood clots.
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Certain medical conditions and treatments
There are several medical conditions and treatments that can increase the risk of pulmonary embolism:
- Heart disease. Both heart and blood vessel disease, especially heart failure, make blood clots more likely.
- Cancer, such as brain cancer, as well as cancer that has spread can increase the risk of blood clots. Chemotherapy further increases the risk of blood clots.
- Surgery. Surgery is one of the leading causes of blood clotting problems. Therefore, doctors may prescribe anti-clotting medications before and after major surgery, such as joint replacement.
- Disorders that affect clotting. Some inherited disorders can affect the blood, making it more likely to clot. Other medical conditions, such as kidney disease, can also increase the risk of blood clots.
- COVID-19. People with severe COVID-19 are at increased risk.
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The body is less active
Blood clots are more likely to form when someone is physically inactive for a long time. Some physical conditions that cause inactivity are:
- Lying down for too long, such as after surgery or a broken bone, can increase the risk of blood clots. This is because when the legs lie flat for a long time, blood flow through the blood vessels can slow down and blood can pool in the legs.
- Long trips. Sitting in a cramped position during a long plane or car trip can slow blood flow in the legs. This can ultimately increase the risk of blood clots.
- Other Risk Factors
- Smoking. Tobacco use can increase the risk of blood clots, which can trigger pulmonary embolism. But why is that?
- Being overweight. This condition can increase the risk of blood clots.
- Supplemental estrogen. The estrogen content in birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy can increase clotting factors in the blood. Especially in those who smoke or are overweight.
- Pregnancy. The weight of the baby pressing on the pelvic veins can slow blood flow from the legs. Clots are more likely to form when blood slows or pools.
Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis
In some cases, doctors may have difficulty diagnosing this condition, especially if the sufferer has underlying heart or lung disease.
Therefore, the doctor will likely discuss your medical history, perform a physical exam, and order tests that may include one or more of the following:
1. Blood test
Your doctor may order a blood test to measure the substance D-dimer, which dissolves blood clots.
High levels of D-dimer may indicate an increased risk of blood clotting. Although many other factors can cause high D-dimer levels.
Blood tests can also measure the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. Clots or clumps in the blood vessels of the lungs can lower the level of oxygen in the blood.
2. Chest X-ray
This non-invasive test provides images of the heart and lungs. While an X-ray cannot diagnose a pulmonary embolism and may even appear fine when a pulmonary embolism is present, an X-ray can rule out other conditions with similar symptoms.
In addition to diagnosing pulmonary embolism, chest X-rays can also detect a number of other diseases.
3. USG
This noninvasive test uses sound waves to scan the blood vessels to check for deep vein blood clots. An ultrasound can look at the veins in the thighs, knees, and calves, and sometimes the arms.
For the procedure, the doctor will move a wand-shaped device or transducer over the skin. This is intended to direct sound waves to the blood vessels being tested.
These waves then bounce back to the transducer to create moving images on the computer. The absence of clots reduces the chance of deep vein thrombosis.
4. CT Pulmonary Angiography
A CT scan produces X-rays to produce cross-sectional images of the body.
One type of CT scan is CT pulmonary angiography, or CT pulmonary embolism study is a procedure to find changes such as pulmonary emboli in the pulmonary arteries.
Want to know more information about CT Scans?
Pulmonary Embolism Treatment
The main goal of pulmonary embolism treatment is to prevent new blood clots from forming and to prevent existing blood clots from getting bigger.
There are four ways to treat pulmonary embolism, namely:
- Medication. For example, anticoagulants or blood thinners are useful for preventing blood clots from enlarging and preventing the formation of new blood clots. In addition, doctors can also provide thrombolytics to dissolve blood clots.
- Vascular filter. This method can be used in people who cannot take blood thinners. Vascular filters are useful for filtering blood clots to prevent pulmonary embolism.
- Surgery. Doctors can also perform thrombus removal with the help of a catheter using a flexible tube to reach the blood clot in the patient’s lungs.
- Catheter placement. This procedure aims to prevent blood clots from entering the lungs.
Can Pulmonary Embolism Be Cured?
Although dangerous, in fact pulmonary embolism can be cured as long as it gets the right treatment.
Without proper treatment from the start, pulmonary embolism can trigger fatal complications. In addition, sufferers of this condition generally need months or years for pulmonary embolism to disappear completely.
Pulmonary Embolism Prevention
Prevent pulmonary embolism by preventing the formation of blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis).
There are several ways you can prevent blood clots, namely:
- Taking anticoagulant medication as prescribed by your doctor.
- Do lots of physical activity.
- Raise your legs higher whenever you have free time or at night.
- Drink enough water.
- Do not smoke.
- Eat a healthy and balanced diet.
- Exercise regularly and maintain your weight.
Pulmonary Embolism Complications
Without proper treatment from the start, pulmonary embolism can trigger fatal complications in the form of:
- Pleural effusion or accumulation of fluid in the lining of the lungs.
- Pulmonary hypertension or high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries. This type of hypertension is a condition when the blood pressure in the lungs and right side of the heart is too high.
- Pulmonary infarction or death of lung tissue.
- Heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmia). In addition to pulmonary embolism, this condition can also occur due to several factors.
- Cardiac arrest .
