Pulmonary Embolism and Pulmonary infarction ppt

A pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blood clot that develops in a blood vessel in the body (often in the leg). It then travels to a lung artery where it suddenly blocks blood flow.

A blood clot that forms in a blood vessel in one area of the body, breaks off, and travels to another area of the body in the blood is called an embolus. An embolus can lodge itself in a blood vessel. This can block the blood supply to a particular organ. This blockage of a blood vessel by an embolus is called an embolism.

The heart, arteries, capillaries, and veins make up the body's circulatory system. Blood is pumped with great force from the heart into the arteries. From there blood flows into the capillaries (tiny blood vessels in the tissues). Blood returns to the heart through the veins. As it moves through the veins back to the heart, blood flow slows. Sometimes this slower blood flow may lead to clot formation.

A pulmonary infarction, also called lung infarction, occurs when a section of lung tissue dies because its blood supply has become blocked. While several medical conditions can cause a pulmonary infarction, the most common cause is pulmonary embolus.

Depending on its size and location, the symptoms of a pulmonary infarction can vary from person to person, from being quite mild to extremely severe. However, whatever its symptoms, when a pulmonary infarction occurs it always means there is a serious underlying medical problem, and aggressive evaluation and treatment is needed.