Pulmonary Embolism (Pulmonary Embolus)

What Is Pulmonary Embolism (Pulmonary Embolus)?

A pulmonary embolism is a sudden blockage in your pulmonary arteries, the blood vessels that send blood to your lungs. It usually happens when a blood clot in the deep veins in your leg breaks off and travels to your lungs.

A blood clot that travels to another part of your body is called an embolus. When an embolus blocks a blood vessel it's called an embolism. When a pulmonary embolus blocks blood flow to your lungs, it's called a pulmonary embolism.

Pulmonary Embolism Causes

The most common cause of a pulmonary embolism is a the breaking off of a blood clot in your leg's deep veins, known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Other, rare causes of a pulmonary embolism include:

• Air bubbles
• DVT in the upper body
• Fat embolus, usually from a severely broken bone
• Tumors

You are more likely to develop blood clots if you have risk factors such as:

• Cancer
• Family history of blood clots or clotting disorders
• Heart disease
• Health history of blood clots or clotting disorders
• Long-term use of birth control pills or estrogen therapy

A pulmonary embolism is also more likely to develop after:

• Childbirth
• Heart attack or stroke
• Long plane or car rides
• Long-term bedrest
• Severe injuries, burns or fractures
• Surgery

Pulmonary Embolism Symptoms

You may not have any symptoms of a pulmonary embolism, depending on the size of the clot and your overall health. As blood flow becomes more and more blocked, you may experience symptoms such as:

• Coughing, including a cough that produces bloody mucus
• Dizziness
• Heart palpitations, sensations of your heart racing or pounding
• Leg pain or swelling
• Sharp and sudden chest pain
• Shortness of breath that worsens with exertion

Pulmonary Embolism Complications

A pulmonary embolism can be life-threatening without treatment. It can cause several complications, including:

• Cardiac arrest, when your heart suddenly stops beating
• Cardiac arrhythmia, an irregular heart rhythm
• Pleural effusion, fluid buildup in the membrane around your lungs (pleura
• Pulmonary hypertension, high blood pressure in your lungs
• Pulmonary infarction, when lung tissue dies

Rarely, people have multiple small pulmonary emboli that develop over time. This is called chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).

Diagnosing a Pulmonary Embolism

To diagnose a pulmonary embolism, your doctor does a physical exam, asks about your symptoms and orders one or more tests such as:

• Blood tests to check if you have an increased risk of blood clotting
• Chest X-rays to take pictures of your heart and lungs
• CT pulmonary angiography, using X-rays and specialized computers to create cross-sectional, 3D images of your lungs and pulmonary arteries
• Doppler ultrasound, using sound waves to look for deep vein thrombosis in your legs
• Echocardiogram to view your heart's structures and blood vessels
• Lab tests, such as pulse oximetry to measure oxygen levels in your blood or arterial blood gas tests to measure the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide
• Pulmonary angiogram, using a small, hollow tube (catheter) and a contrast dye to see how blood flows through the pulmonary arteries
• Ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) scan, injecting a tracer into your veins to track blood flow and compare it with air flow to check for pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary Embolism Treatment at Penn Medicine

Rapid treatment for pulmonary embolism is critical for good outcomes. At Penn Medicine, the Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) provides leading-edge, team-based care for acute (sudden) or chronic (long-lasting) pulmonary embolisms. We were one the of the first PERTs in the country and are among the top 10 most advanced centers in the nation in pulmonary embolism treatment.

We offer a full range of innovative treatments, including investigational therapies. Your treatment may include:

• Medications: Your doctor may prescribe drugs to dissolve the blood clot (thrombolytics) or blood thinners (anticoagulants).
• Clot removal: A physician inserts a catheter through a blood vessel and guides it to your pulmonary arteries. They use special devices inserted through the catheter to break up the clot or pull it out of the artery. Penn specialists use the full range of approved clot removal devices, so you have access to advanced, targeted treatment.
• Inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement: We use a catheter to position a filter in your inferior vena cava, the main vein that carries blood from your legs to your heart. An IVC filter can help to catch emboli and prevent them from traveling to your heart or lungs.
• Balloon pulmonary angioplasty: We insert a catheter through a blood vessel in your groin and guide it to the pulmonary arteries. Once in position, we inflate a balloon in the blocked artery to open the blockage and restore blood flow. Often, we treat multiple small pulmonary emboli. This treatment is typically used for people with CTEPH.

Make an Appointment

Please call 800-789-7366 or request a callback.

Penn Programs & Services for Pulmonary Embolism (Pulmonary Embolus)