What Is Pulmonary Embolism?

by Niraj Jayaswal Content Writer

Summary

In diseases like pulmonary embolism, advice of the experts is important to be acknowledged and followed through. For instances, if you are living in Gurgaon (Gurugram), search for top 10 cardiac surgeons in Gurugram. Any well-qualified cardiologist be it a surgeon known for percutaneous valvuloplasty in Gurgaon or an experienced doctor of balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty in india, they will advice one to look out for their heart health along with the overall health of the body. We consulted a cardiologist to know in detail about the condition of pulmonary embolism, she also happened to be an expert of mitral valve replacement surgery which added to her professionalism as a heart valve therapy doctor in India. This article has details about pulmonary embolism with particular focus on its diagnosis and treatment alternatives.

Article

In the simplest terms, when a blood clot develops in the lungs, it is termed as the condition of pulmonary embolism. Now, pulmonary embolism needs to be treated as soon as possible because if that blood clot reaches the arteries, it would obstruct the flow of blood. In some cases, the blood clots can develop in a deep vein of the lungs, this condition is termed as deep vein thrombosis. Unlike pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis is accompanied by swelling in the leg or arm along with warmer temperature than the remaining body temperature. Let’s see in detail the symptoms of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis.

Symptoms:

· Development of blue color on the nails and lips

· Cough at times with the presence of blood

· Pin in the back and/ or chest

· Unexplained excessive sweating

· Shortness of breath

· Fatigue

Risk factors:

Some conditions can make an individual vulnerable to the condition of pulmonary embolism especially deep vein thrombosis, these are:

· Alterations in the normal blood flow

· Cancer

· Control Pills

· Injuries to the blood vessels

· Pregnancy

· Smoking

· Surgery

· Trauma to the lower leg

Diagnosis:

Early diagnosis of the condition may help the doctors in exploring the right type of treatment alternative for the patient. The diagnostic assessments have to be carried out with utmost precision and no necessary test should be ignored. The following tests can be performed for evaluating the condition of the patient during pulmonary embolism:

· A physical examination

· Blood tests

· Chest X-rays

· Computed tomographic angiography (CTPA)

· Echocardiogram

· Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) tests

· Pulmonary angiography

· Ultrasound

· Ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scan

Treatment:

Treatment for pulmonary embolism can depend upon different factors including the extent of pulmonary embolism and the risks it carries on the overall wellbeing of the patient. The various types of treatment options which are explored in the case of treating pulmonary embolism are:

· Catheter-based operations

Catheter-based operations are primarily used to either remove the blood clots or to dissolve them with the insertion of medicine through the catheter. Such treatment is offered when the patient is at life-threatening risks.

· Compression stockings (support hose)

These stockings are based on the fact that the majority of the blood clots starts from the lungs, thereby, these stockings pressure until the knee to stop the clotting of blood.

· Inferior vena cava filter

Basically, this procedure is used to filter the blood clots before they reach the heart for which a filter is attached with the inferior vena cava which carries blood from the lower body to the heart.

· Medications

· Blood thinners are provided to the patient to stop the progression of both the existing blood clots and the possibly new ones while the degeneration of the existing blood clots is managed by the body in itself. Depending upon the impact of pulmonary embolism and the overall wellbeing of the patient, the type of blood thinners and the way they are taken by the patient are decided. The following are the three types of blood thinners provided to the patient:

§ Warfarin

Either provided through a pill or shot, warfarin can be provided in the form of Coumadin or Jantovento treat the existing blood clots and stop the progression of new blood clots.

§ Heparin

Heparins of low molecular weight are offered when the development of new blood clots has to be prevented.

§ Thrombolytic drugs

When the patient is in dire need of immediate treatment, doctors provide thrombolytic drugs. But is it advised that detailed observation of the patient’s condition is a must for the safety of the patient.

· Surgical intervention

The rarest approach to remove a blood clot from the lungs is to operate the patient under a surgical process. Doctors rely on the results from the diagnostic assessment before making any choice.