Does a pulmonary embolism represent an emergent, life-threatening situation?
It can have different manifestations and different time courses. The most urgent time is the first hour or two. That’s when many of the deaths occur from a pulmonary embolus. But longer-term complications can occur in subsequent hours, days and weeks. Who is most at risk of developing blood clots? People over the age of 40, predominantly, because the risk goes up incrementally with years. People who are obese are at greater risk. People with chronic medical conditions that may cause prolonged immobility, like heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. People with cancer-are also at greater risk. Smokers are at higher risk. Women taking hormone replacement therapy or birth control pills are at a higher risk as well. Pregnant women are at a very high risk, and interestingly, the highest risk is right after delivery. Some of it has to do with anatomy. They had a large fetus compressing the veins, and preventing optimal blood flow. Pregnant women also undergo alterations in th
