Pulmonary embolism overview

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Editor(s)-In-Chief: The APEX Trial Investigators, C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [2]

Overview

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is an acute obstruction of the pulmonary artery (or one of its branches).

The obstruction in the pulmonary artery that causes a PE can be due to thrombus, air, tumor, or fat. Most often, this is due to a venous thrombus (blood clot from a vein), which has been dislodged from its site of formation in the lower extremities, and has embolized to the arterial blood supply of one of the lungs. This process is termed thromboembolism. In other rare forms of pulmonary embolism, material other than a blood clot may be responsible; this may include

PE is a potentially lethal condition. The patient can present with a range of signs and symptoms, including difficulty breathing, pain in the chest during breathing, and in more severe cases collapse, circulatory instability and sudden death.

PE treatment requires rapid and accurate risk stratification before the development of hemodynamic collapse and cardiogenic shock. Treatment consists of an anticoagulant medication, such as heparin and warfarin, and in severe cases thrombolysis or surgery.

Median hospital stay for PE was 3 days and the mean total hospitalization cost was found to be $8,764 in a retrospective study. [1]

References

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