Pulmonary Embolism

A pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blood clot in one of the blood vessels in your lung. This happens when a clot in another part of your body (often your leg or arm) moves through your veins to your lung. A PE restricts blood flow to your lungs, lowers oxygen levels in your lungs and increases blood pressure in your pulmonary arteries.

This condition is a medical emergency. Without quick treatment, a pulmonary embolism can cause heart or lung damage and even death. About 33% of people with a pulmonary embolism die before they get a diagnosis and treatment.

A pulmonary embolism can:

• Damage your lungs.
• Put strain on your heart, causing heart failure.
• Be life-threatening, depending on the size of the clot.

With timely diagnosis and treatment, a PE is seldom fatal.

How common is a pulmonary embolism?

Pulmonary embolism is one of the most common heart and blood vessel diseases in the world. It ranks third behind heart attack and stroke. In the United States, about 900,000 people a year get a PE.