A pulmonary embolism (PE) is a sudden blockage in one of the arteries that carries blood from the heart to the lungs. In most cases, the blockage is a blood clot that has broken free from a vein deep in the leg or pelvis a condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT)—and traveled through the bloodstream until it lodges in the lung's blood vessels. Because the lungs are responsible for oxygenating blood before it returns to the rest of the body, a pulmonary embolism can interfere with oxygen delivery to vital organs and, in severe cases, become life-threatening. Pulmonary embolism is not rare. It is one of the more common cardiovascular emergencies seen in hospitals, and it can affect people of almost any age, though the risk rises significantly after middle age or in the presence of certain medical conditions. Understanding what a pulmonary embolism is, why it happens, and how it is treated can help patients recognize warning signs early and seek timely pulmonary embolism treat...
A pulmonary embolism (PE) is a sudden blockage in one of the arteries that carries blood from the heart to the lungs. In most cases, the blockage is a blood clot that has broken free from a vein deep in the leg or pelvis a condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT)—and traveled through the bloodstream until it lodges in the lung's blood vessels. Because the lungs are responsible for oxygenating blood before it returns to the rest of the body, a pulmonary embolism can interfere with oxygen delivery to vital organs and, in severe cases, become life-threatening. Pulmonary embolism is not rare. It is one of the more common cardiovascular emergencies seen in hospitals, and it can affect people of almost any age, though the risk rises significantly after middle age or in the presence of certain medical conditions. Understanding what a pulmonary embolism is, why it happens, and how it is treated can help patients recognize warning signs early and seek timely pulmonary embolism treat...