Pulmonary Symbolism Research Paper

Pulmonary Embolism

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a medical condition in which a thrombus obstructs a pulmonary artery leading to downstream symptoms.¬1 The most common cause of a PE, is deep vein thrombosis (DVT).2 It is a serious condition that can lead to a medical emergency. Although the exact number of people affected by PE is unknown, it is estimated to affect 900,000 new Americans each year.3 About 10-30% of newly diagnosed individuals will die within the first month; adding to a total death rate of 60-100k each year.3 It is very important to diagnose and treat PE right away, because one-third of undiagnosed/untreated PE patients do not survive.3 PE can result in low oxygen levels in blood, damage to organs from low oxygen levels, and
DVT is a blood clot in the deep veins of your legs. An embolus is formed when a portion of the thrombus breaks off and travels through your blood to your lungs, where it gets stuck in a pulmonary artery.2 This leads to a decrease in blood supply to your lungs. Another cause of PE, can be as a result of trauma. Trauma to a bone can lead to release of fat from the marrow, which can also travel to your pulmonary arteries.2 Other less common causes of pulmonary embolism include breakage of a tumor and air bubbles.2 There are many risk factors for the development of PE, most of them are similar to those for the development of DVT. Risk factors include: immobility, family history, pregnancy, oral contraceptive use, surgery, injury, obesity, smoking, cancer, and heart failure.1 The risk for PE is equal among men and women, but doubles for every 10 years past the age of
All of these drugs through their various mechanisms work by inhibiting your bloods ability to clot. The most important thing to note for these drugs is that they do not break apart existing clots. The most common side effect with these drugs is bleeding, which is a result of too much blood thinning.1 Thrombolytics are drugs that are used to break apart existing clots; their use in PE is limited to serious situations.1 Rarely surgery may also be required for the removal of a clot. There are some non-pharmacological options for prevention of PE; these involve weight loss, smoking cessation, and exercise.1 Another preventive measure some doctor may suggest is placement of a vena cava filter, which is used to break apart any embolus traveling to the lungs.2 Direct oral anticoagulants have increased treatment options for many blood coagulation disorders. It is suggested that direct oral anticoagulant users monitor therapy if using combined with p-gp and/or CYP3A4 inducers/inhibitors.4 Also use of aspirin with direct oral anticoagulants is prohibited unless benefits clearly outweigh risk.4 E.P. is currently on aspirin, if he is placed on a direct oral anticoagulant, we suggest discontinuation of the aspirin. According to a guidance article published in Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis, when switching from