Pulmonary Embolism Explained Clearly - Risk factors, Pathophysiology, DVT, Treatment

Includes discussion on the definition, risk factors, epidemiology, DVT, signs, and symptoms. This is video 1 of 4 on pulmonary embolism (PE).

Speaker: Roger Seheult, MD
Clinical and Exam Preparation Instructor
Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine.

MedCram: Medical topics explained clearly including: Asthma, COPD, Acute Renal Failure, Mechanical Ventilation, Oxygen Hemoglobin Dissociation Curve, Hypertension, Shock, Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA), Medical Acid Base, VQ Mismatch, Hyponatremia, Liver Function Tests, Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs), Adrenal Gland, Pneumonia Treatment, any many others. New topics are often added weekly- please subscribe to help support MedCram and become notified when new videos have been uploaded.

Recommended Audience: Health care professionals and medical students: including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, respiratory therapists, EMT and paramedics, and many others. Review for USMLE, MCAT, PANCE, NCLEX, NAPLEX, NDBE, RN, RT, MD, DO, PA, NP school and board examinations.

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Produced by Kyle Allred PA-C

Please note: MedCram medical videos, medical lectures, medical illustrations, and medical animations are for medical educational and exam preparation purposes, and not intended to replace recommendations by your health care provider.

[ms.e]

I'm glad to have survived DVT, PULMONARY EMBOLISM AND BLOODCLOT IN EACH LUNG ALL AT THE SAME TIME. LORD I THANK YOU!!

[jno]

I am recovering from a PE and DVT diagnosed at the end of May. By the Glory of God I am typing this message. Thank you Jesus for healing!!!

[rmilkyswife]

I had DVD in my left leg from my hip down. Ended up with clots in both lungs I'm here by the grace of God!

[michaelallen]

I’m a 27 year old male and I have an acute PE in my right lung. Just diagnosed a week ago, only caught through my blood work. My D dimer was .54 and I had multiple symptoms like outer chest wall pain right below the breast bone, back and shoulder pain, sharpness in my lung when breathing. I went to urgent care 8 months ago for the same reason and only got an x-ray, my lungs looked great and the doctor believed it was just a muscle thing. Just because I’m young, she didn’t suspect I would have a PE. I’m so glad I went back to find out what the issue is and be able to resolve it now.

[ceciliamaben]

My husband just got out of the hospital for acute pulmonary embolism. He has to take blood thinner for 6 months. But he is still having a hard time catching his breath and pain in his side like under his arm. In January he broke his ankle and they did a scan of his chest in the emergency room and said he had pneumonia. Fast forward he just had his gallbladder removed last week and was rush to the hospital because he was in so much pain he couldn’t really move and this was 5 days after surgery. This emergency room did a scan of his arteries and they said he had small clots in both lungs. We spent 4 nights in the hospital and he was sent home with xarelto And tramadol. I really believe the hospital that said he had pneumonia back in January missed the clots. I’m praying to god my husband makes it through this…

[AmandaBrown-htgl]

My father just past away yesterday morning because of this. It happened so fast within 30 mins. He was 63. I wish I watched this video before it was too late.

[VampRocker]

I had a pulmonary embolism back in 2010. I also had DTV and endocarditis. I ended up being flown to Toronto, ON. and getting antibiotics, and then undergoing emergency open-heart surgery. My cardiologist said with the number of blood clots in my system, he was surprised I hadn't had a heart attack or a stroke. I was also given 2 weeks to live if I didn't have surgery. It was a fun time.

[amandawilliams]

Nursing student here, thanks for your help!!

[darknightdc]

I spent 10 days in ICU in Feb w/ multiple PEs, including saddle PE, I had 2 emergency emolectomies.
The PEs cane from DVT in my leg after I tore my ACL.
The hospital staff & doctors made me feel relatively calm, but researching now after the fact I realize just how close to dying I really was.

This video explains it really well, and in a way that doesn't cause me anxiety

[juanitazabawa]

I just had multiple extensive pulmonary embolisms. I was first misdiagnosed with costochondritis by my pcp. I'm 33, non-smoker, and had just started using Nuvaring for BC. My only symptom was chest pain and it was severe. It hurt to breathe and, to laugh even, and the ER Dr. Promptly did a D. Dimer on me when I went in, followed by all the other tests and being admitted to ICU. I am blessed to be here still.

[oAvalono]

Retired EMT here to review & expand my understanding; thanks for the info. I just subscribed.

[YouTuber-qvqm]

I'm a medstudent and I find this channel very helpful for my study.

[Ishbu]

I had one last year. Thank God, in fully recovered

[juanitamcdonald]

I'm a new nurse and am trying to get a handle on the "bigger picture." Your video helped me understand possible complications and specifically signs and symptoms to look for. Thank you.

[horrorislander]

I'm male, was 48, and thought I had pneumonia. I spent over a month going back for x-ray after x-ray. The x-ray techs, I was told later, thought I had lung cancer. Eventually I could only walk a few feet before feeling faint and having to cling to walls and furniture. My blood pressure became very low. Finally, a blood test -- I don't know what kind -- indicated heart damage and sent me to an ER. I was told the tops of both lungs had died, that my pulmonary artery was filled with clots, and that I should have been dead already. The cause was a condition called APS, which was apparently part of my undiagnosed lupus. I mention this because I didn't see APS listed in the video. I've read that APS most often occurs during pregnancy, which was listed, but obviously I was not pregnant. I was given a clot-buster (TPA?) and kept in ICU for 5 days. That was eight years ago. I did eventually try to go back to work, but my lupus journey was just starting, and I am now disabled. I still take Warfarin every day, keeping my INR between 2.5 and 3.5, and that seems to prevent clots from building back up. I hope this little study adds to someone's understanding of what can happen. Sometimes it really is lupus! (and APS)

[aikey]

YOUR CHANNEL HELPS ME GET THROUGH MED SCHOOL ALOT EASIER

[cathywiken]

This is about PE's but with a slight introduction: I just came back from having an EKG and was told how my LBBB (Left Bundle Branch Block) was no longer there.  The Doctor said he had NEVER heard of this ever happening in is entire career.  I came home (very short of breath, but do have copd), and started searching the net for hours and could find nothing on why LBBB's just go away until I stumbled into a post graduate medical journal which did  case study on a 61 year old man who had always had an LBBB and the only time it didn't show up on an EKG was when he was in ER with a PE.  After they cleared up the PE, his LBBB was back on the EKG.  I'm going to my Doctor tomorrow, as I once had a d-dimer test that came back at 2050, yes 2050, but there were no clots - just a lot of inflammation. But, I'm not ignoring what I read tonight.  

[stevenvicino]

Recovering from a PE just this last week. 61 yr old non-smoker, I sit at a workbench 40+ hours a week with no exercise at all. Picture of health otherwise. Couldn't catch my breath and then the CT scan showed the bad news. Doctor said I was 12 steps away from the widowmaker. Thank God for blood thinners. Get your sorry butt up and walk around.

[YourFreeBeats]

I had this the doctors said it was among the worst they had ever seen and were confused how I was even walking.
FTW it’s worth here were my symptoms:
I noticed red splotches on my calf. No swelling.
A few days later I started getting pain in my upper calf.
A few days later my calf started swelling, slowly but surely.
After about a week it began to hurt so badly I was limping.
Additionally I started experiencing on and off shortness of breath. Maybe once a day for an hour or so.
Then the shortness became worse and i could it walk for more than 30 minutes without having to sit or lay due to fatigue.
Finally my calf swelled so much I could not walk on it.
Went to PCP she told me most likely DVT so went to ER.
They did emergency surgery and aspirated the majority of clots.
Since then I have been on Eliquis.
Ps. The reason I had so many PE’s was due to internal bleeding I was having for months prior.
I hope this helps anyone curious about my experience anyway. Best of luck.

[tinaeakin]

Thanks so much for this video. I never thought anything about blood clots until I was in a cycling accident on July 12 of this year that resulted in a pelvic fracture (thankfully stable and no surgery) and subsequent DVT in my right calf and clots in my lungs. The first sign for me was the left chest pain, 2 days later right chest pain and shortness of breath. I have been in the ER and hospital the past 2 months way too many times. The lack of information for clots has been frustrating to me. I am also an endurance athlete which I found out is another reason for blood clotting. Thanks again for the education.