Pulmonary thromboembolism - risk factors and preventive measures

Pulmonary thromboembolism represents the migration of a blood clot in the blood vessels of the lungs. This phenomenon occurs when a thrombus from another region of the body, often from the lower or upper limbs, migrates through the venous system until it reaches the pulmonary veins, where it impacts and blocks the blood flow. Pulmonary embolism restricts the lungs, completely or partially, so that less oxygen reaches the lungs. Without treatment, pulmonary embolism can lead to severe, potentially fatal heart and lung damage. Approximately 33% of patients with pulmonary thromboembolism die before receiving the correct diagnosis and treatment. Article content\n \n \n .

ro or from the SfatulMedicului mobile application (iOS, Android)\n . It is in 3rd place after si. Approximately 350,000 people have a thromboembolic event annually. Being a pathology with lethal potential, the signs and symptoms of pulmonary embolism should be considered alarming and should be investigated as soon as they appear. Early diagnosis and thus early treatment can significantly improve the prognosis of these patients.

Depending on the severity of the obstruction, which can be partial or complete, the symptoms can vary. Most cases are symptomatic, but there are exceptions. Common symptoms are:\r\n. The pain is similar to the pain from a myocardial infarction. • Cough with or without bloody sputum\r\n.

they are blood clots that form inside a vessel, being able to later migrate in the circulation to other territories. Thrombi are usually formed after long periods of physical inactivity, and their migration can be triggered by certain factors or can be spontaneous. When the thrombus reaches the right or left pulmonary vein, pulmonary thromboembolism occurs. The most common causes of thrombosis and thromboembolism are:\r\n. Coagulation factors are endogenous substances, produced by the body, with an essential role in the coagulation process and thus in the formation of thrombi.

Increased levels of these factors appear in some types of cancer or in patients under hormonal/contraceptive treatment. Low levels of these factors appear in coagulation pathologies, called coagulopathy. In order to establish the diagnosis of thromboembolism, the emergency physician and/or the cardiologist will quickly evaluate the symptoms and risk factors, after which he will ask for some paraclinical tests performed in an emergency setting:\r\n. The main treatment of this pathology is anticoagulant treatment, combined or not with thrombolytic treatment. The latter involves the administration of drugs that dissolve the thrombus already formed, and the anticoagulant treatment prevents the formation of other thrombus.

Interventional or surgical treatment may also be recommended in some cases, to restore pulmonary blood flow. Anticoagulant treatment\r\n. As in the case of any chronic treatment, the anticoagulant must be administered according to the doctor's recommendations. There are multiple types of anticoagulants, and the optimal preparation for each case will be chosen according to the particularities of the patient. It is important to know that you will most likely need regular consultations and frequent monitoring of coagulation parameters, in order to evaluate the body's response to treatment.

The doses can be adjusted according to the blood tests performed periodically. Thrombolytic treatment\r\n. They dissolve the thrombus already formed. Patients receiving thrombolytics must be closely monitored in the intensive care unit. Interventional treatment\r\n.

Interventional treatment is also recommended in cases where the medicinal treatment did not give results. The removal of the thrombus can be performed minimally-invasively with the help of a catheter or surgically. In addition to medical and interventional treatment, all patients will be advised to avoid additional risk factors, stop smoking and contraceptives and wear compression stockings. They are specially used to improve the lower limbs, in patients who need it. Talk to your doctor about the type of stockings you need and how long you should wear them.

Adverse effects of treatment\r\n. The dose of the drugs must therefore be very well adjusted according to each patient, in order to achieve a balance of coagulation. The ways to prevent pulmonary thromboembolism involve avoiding the causative thromboses. Thus, to prevent this pathology, observe the following:\r\n. Make sure you walk, move your limbs and the whole body every hour.

• Avoid sitting down for long periods of time and wear compression stockings to improve circulation in your lower limbs\r\n. There are several categories of people at risk, but a large part of the risk factors are modifiable and can be prevented. Call for medical help if you have any risk factor or if you experience symptoms of pulmonary embolism. Bibliography\r\n\r\n\n\n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n . Mihaela Cirstea\n .

VICTOR BABES\n \n \n . Verescu Octavian Paraschiv\n . VICTOR BABES\n \n \n . Lia Popescu\n . VICTOR BABES\n \n \n .

Marilena Raileanu\n . .