Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Some Facts About The Deadly Condition Called PE

A Pulmonary embolism is a medical condition that occurs when there’s an obstruction in the normal functioning of the blood flow in one or more of the lungs. In most cases, the condition is initiated due to the formation of blood clots that detach from other parts of the body, such as the legs which is commonly referred to as a deep vein thrombosis or DVT.

It is not always necessary that this condition follows a set of signs and symptoms. Even if some signs do surface, they differ from person to person. However, the most common signs of this medical condition are chest pain and shortness of breath.

This condition can be life-threatening if you don’t take appropriate preventive actions. Quick treatment with proper medication can minimize the chances of the condition taking a turn for the worst. Taking preventive measures to reduce blood-clots in the legs greatly helps to protect the person against clots reaching any further and traveling to the lungs.

In addition, taking certain birth control pills like yasmin can cause deep vein thrombosis which eventually may lead to a pulmonary embolism. Therefore, always consult with your physician before using any hormonal contraceptives.

Complications associated with pulmonary embolism:
A PE is a life-threatening condition. Undiagnosed and untreated patients can die. However, when it is diagnosed and treated promptly, the number of deaths drops dramatically. If the arteries of the lungs get blocked, it may put pressure on the heart. That means your heart may have to work harder in order to transport blood through blood vessels. This would result in a rise in the blood pressure of the arteries and can affect the related section of the heart too. Even more severe is if the clot further travels from the lungs to the head resulting in a stroke, to the eyes resulting in blindness or completely restricts the flow of blood leading to the death of tissue.

Signs and Symptoms of Pulmonary Embolism
The signs and symptoms of pulmonary embolism depending on the size of the blood clot, its effect on the lungs, and the patients current heart status.

Most common signs and symptoms of this condition include:

  • Shortness of breath: The patient may feel difficulty in breathing properly.
  • Chest pain: Patient may feel severe pain in the chest. Even, heart attack is a possibility. The discomfort in the chest may worsen when the person breaths deeply or coughs.
  • Cough: There may be blood-streaked sputum.

Other indications that show the occurrence of pulmonary embolism include:

  • Swelling in leg (usually occurs in one of the legs)
  • Discoloration or bluish-colored skin
  • Excessive sweating
  • Anxiety
  • Heart palpitations
  • Weak pulse
  • Lightheadedness or fainting
  • blood with cough

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Some Notable Facts On Pulmonary Embolisms

A Pulmonary embolism is a medical condition that occurs due to sudden blockage in arteries that carry blood to the lungs. The blockage in lung arteries occurs when a blood clot, that moves through one of the deep veins of the leg, to a lung, which in turn, either completely blocks or restricts the normal flow of blood.

A Pulmonary Embolism, sometimes abbreviated as a “PE” is a serious condition that has the potential to:

  • Completely damage a part of the lung, resulting in increased blood pressure in the pulmonary veins.
  • Decrease the levels of fresh oxygen in your blood.
  • Harm other body parts because of lack of oxygen-rich blood.

If the size of a blood clot is large enough to completely block the flow of oxygen-rich blood through veins, this condition can lead to death. A Pulmonary embolism is a highly complex form of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) in which blood clots developed in the deep veins of the legs. The loosely attached clots can move with the flow of the blood, through the veins, causing blockage. Sometimes, aPE is referred to as a venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Immobilization is a major cause of the occurrence of PE. Long bed rest after an injury or operation can result in the formation of a clot either the in the veins of arms or legs.

A long journey by plane or car can also cause this condition. Sitting for a long time in the same position can form blood clots as well.

Apart from this, trauma or injury (especially to the legs), obesity, heart ailments (such as an irregular heartbeat), or a family history of blood clots are other potential signs of elevated clot risk.

Major signs and symptoms of this condition include shortness of breath that may occur suddenly:

  • Sudden pain in chest which becomes unbearable when breathing
  • Unexplained shortness of breath
  • Heart palpitations
  • Irregular pulse rate
  • Coughing up blood
  • Rapid breathing
  • Swelling of the leg or along a vein in the leg
  • Sweating
  • Skin discoloration on the effected leg
  • Nervousness
  • Fainting

Some important points that can help prevent PE:

  • Women who use oral contraceptives, such as yaz, can also experience a PE. However, a yaz pulmonary embolism lawsuit can help obtain compensation if this has occurred. It is advisable to use such medications as per your doctor’s instructions and consider all possible birth controls before resorting to a hormonal one.
  • Regular exercise can also prevent this condition
  • Take medicines that prevent clot formation as per your doctor’s advice
  • Regular body check-ups are a must, especially after the age of 30