Blood Clots in lungs

Blood clots in lungs, referred to medically as pulmonary embolisms, is a condition that develops when at least one artery in at least one lung is blocked by a clot of blood.

Typically, these clots travel to the lungs from other places in the body, most often, from the legs.

Causes, Symptoms and Treatment of Blood Clots in Lungs

Anyone can suffer blood clots in lungs, even if they are healthy in every other aspect. They can be deadly if they are not treated in a timely manner. Fortunately, if they are treated quickly using anti-clotting medications, the risk of death can be greatly reduced.

Symptoms of Blood Clots in Lungs

People who have blood clots in lungs have varying symptoms, which are largely related to how big the clot is, how much of the lung is blocked, and the overall health condition of the sufferer. If a person who has lung or heart disease, blood clots in the lungs can be much more severe.

General symptoms of blood clots in the lungs include:

• Pain in the chest - The pain can mimic a heart attack and will usually get worse if the sufferer tries to breathe deeply or when eating, bending over, or coughing. The pain also can be felt even when the person is at rest.

• Difficulty breathing - This will happen suddenly and will be present no matter if the sufferer is exercising or not.

• Persistent cough - The cough may be bloody as well as ongoing.

Although these symptoms usually accompany blood clots in lungs, some people also experience:

• Blue-tinted skin

• Leg swelling

• Wheezing

• Perspiration

• Rapid heartbeat or irregular heartbeat

• Dizziness

• Weak pulse

Causes of Blood Clots in Lungs

For the most part, blood clots in lungs occur when some kind of material breaks free from another part of the body and become lodged in one or more arteries in the lungs. Usually, this material is a clot of blood and often forms in the deep leg veins. It is a condition known as deep-vein thrombosis (DVT).

On occasion, another material can create the blockage in the arteries of the lungs. It could be a portion of a tumor, air bubbles, or fat from the broken bone marrow. It is very rare that just one clot is involved in this situation. Most of the time, multiple clots are the root cause of the problem.

Treatments of Blood Clots in Lungs

Blood clots in lungs are an extremely serious condition and require immediate treatment. The treatments fall into four categories:

1. Anticoagulants - These drugs prevent new clots from forming. Examples of these medications include Heparin, Warfarin and Coumadin.

2. Thrombolytic - Even though most clots will eventually dissolve on their own, the administration of medication can help them dissipate faster. These drugs are typically only used in life-or-death situations.

3. Clot Removal - In cases of very large blood clots in lungs, a surgical procedure may be performed to remove them. The surgeon will insert a catheter into the blood vessels and draw out the clots.

4. Vein Filter - When a catheter is inserted into the inferior vena cava, which is the vein that connects the legs to the right side of the heart, the clots cannot travel to the lungs. This is an option for people who are not able to take anticoagulants or have found anticoagulants ineffective.