What is pulmonary embolism (PE)?
A PE is a potentially fatal complication of DVT. A PE is a blockage of an artery that occurs when a clot formed in another part of the body breaks loose and travels through the bloodstream until it becomes stuck in a blood vessel in the lungs.The clot, called an embolus, is usually a blood clot (although it can also be an air bubble, or a piece of fat, bone marrow, or tumor tissue), and generally originates in the deep veins of the legs or hips. Once the clot becomes stuck in the artery in the lungs, it prevents blood flow to that portion of the lung, causing it to become malnourished and eventually die. This can cause the lung to quit working properly and, if not treated, may lead to death.The most recent highly publicized death due to PE was that of David Bloom, a 39-year-old veteran journalist for NBC who was traveling with the US 3rd Infantry Division about 25 miles south of Baghdad when he fell ill. Despite being airlifted to a nearby medical unit, he did not survive.
