Pulmonary Embolism Quiz

Pulmonary embolism is a life threatening condition resulting from a blood clot blocking one or more arteries in the lung. The blood clot typically forms elsewhere in the body e.g. in a vein in the leg, travels in the bloodstream and gets trapped in the artery in the lung. Risk factors include a sedentary lifestyle, blood clotting disorders, cigarette smoking and obesity/being overweight.

• Chest pain when coughing or during deep breathing

• Chest pain

• Feel unsteady or floating when I am standing

• Loss of appetite

• Chest discomfort with exercise

• Feel the heart is pounding

• Feeling breathless

• Noisy breathing; e.g. wheezing, rattling

Pulmonary embolism is a medical emergency requiring treatement in the hospital. Treatment involves medications to prevent worsening, prevent further clots from forming and break down large clots. Surgery or other procedures to remove the clot from the artery or prevent it from reaching the lungs maybe done in life-threatening cases.