Pulmonary Embolism?

Diagnosis pesakit yang meninggal dunia pada malam 3hb april 2009 itu adalah Pulmonary Embolism.Apakah yang di maksudkan dengan Pulmonary Embolism..?Sama-sama kita berkongsi maklumat mengenainya....

What Is Pulmonary Embolism?

A pulmonary embolism (PULL-mun-ary EM-bo-lizm), or PE, is a sudden blockage in a lung artery, usually due to a blood clot that traveled to the lung from a vein in the leg. A clot that forms in one part of the body and travels in the bloodstream to another part of the body is called an embolus.

PE is a serious condition that can cause:
* Permanent damage to part of your lung from lack of blood flow to lung tissue
* Low oxygen levels in your blood
* Damage to other organs in your body from not getting enough oxygen
If the blood clot is large, or if there are many clots, PE can cause death.

Major Causes

In 9 out of 10 cases, pulmonary embolism (PE) begins as a blood clot in the deep veins of the leg (a condition known as deep vein thrombosis). The clot breaks free from the vein and travels through the bloodstream to the lungs, where it can block an artery.Clots in the leg can form when blood flow is restricted and slows down. This can happen when you don't move around for long periods of time, such as:

* After some types of surgeries
* During a long trip in a car or on an airplane
* If you must stay in bed for an extended time

Veins damaged from surgery or injured in other ways are more prone to blood clots.
Other Causes

Rarely, an air bubble, part of a tumor, or other tissue travels to the lungs and causes PE. Also, when a large bone in the body (such as the thigh bone) breaks, fat from the marrow inside the bone can travel through the blood to the lungs and cause PE.

Major Signs and Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of pulmonary embolism (PE) include unexplained shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chest pain, coughing, or coughing up blood. An arrhythmia (a rapid or irregular heartbeat) also may indicate PE.

Emergency Treatment

When PE is life threatening, doctors may use treatments that remove or break up clots in the blood vessels of the lungs. These treatments are given in the emergency room or in the hospital.

Thrombolytics are medicines given to quickly dissolve a blood clot. They're used to treat large clots that cause severe symptoms. Because thrombolytics can cause sudden bleeding, they're used only in life-threatening situations.

In some cases, the doctor may use a catheter to reach the blood clot. A catheter is a flexible tube placed in a vein to allow easy access to the bloodstream for medical treatment. The catheter is inserted into the groin (upper thigh) or arm and threaded through a vein to the clot in the lung. The catheter may be used to extract the clot or deliver medicine to dissolve it.

Rarely, surgery may be needed to remove the blood clot.

How Can Pulmonary Embolism Be Prevented?

Preventing pulmonary embolism (PE) begins with preventing deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Knowing whether you're at risk for DVT and taking steps to lower your risk are important.

If you've never had a deep vein clot, but are at risk for it, these are steps you can take to decrease your risk.

* Exercise your lower leg muscles during long car trips and airplane rides.
* Get out of bed and move around as soon as you're able after having surgery or being ill. The sooner you move around, the lower your chance of developing a clot.
* Take medicines to prevent clots after some types of surgery (as directed by your doctor).
* Follow up with your doctor.

If you already have had DVT or PE, you can take additional steps to help keep new blood clots from forming:

* Visit your doctor for regular checkups.
* Use compression stockings to prevent chronic swelling in your legs after DVT (as directed by your doctor).

Nota ni serba ringkas je...kalau ada salah dan silap harap dapat ditegur semoga sama-sama kita dapat manafaatnya...

Kat bawah ni ada ada URL bagaimana PE(pulmonary embolism) ini terjadi.Silalah layarinya....
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/pe/pe_causes.html