Each year, around 55,000 patients are hospitalized in France because of a pulmonary embolism.
This is characterized by the obstruction of a pulmonary artery or one of its branches by a blood clot.
But actually, what are the symptoms that can detect it?
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Good in his body, good in his head
According to data from Public Health France, published in September 2019, pulmonary embolism (PE) is responsible for the hospitalization of nearly 55,000 patients and 15,000 deaths each year. PE would therefore be the third most common cause of death, behind cardiovascular diseases and cancers. As recalled by the French Federation of Cardiology (new window) on its website, this condition is caused by “migration of a blood clot […] towards the pulmonary arterial circulation where it becomes trapped”. Very often, phlebitis or venous thrombosis – formation of a blood clot in the lower limbs – is the cause of a pulmonary embolism.
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What are the symptoms of a pulmonary embolism?
As pulmonary embolism requires emergency treatment, it is important to know the symptoms. According to the French Federation of Cardiology, the very first manifestation of a PE is chest pain, often accompanied by difficulty breathing and a feeling of anxiety. To determine whether it is indeed a pulmonary embolism, several tests can be carried out, including an electrocardiogram or even an echocardiography, allowing the clot to be directly visualized in a branch of the pulmonary artery.
More recently, chest CT angiography has also shown its effectiveness in the diagnosis of PE and is also considered the reference examination. Finally, if you have any doubt, you can also perform a lung perfusion scan, to detect a possible abnormality in the vascularization of the lungs.
How to limit the risks of pulmonary embolism?
If you do not have symptoms, it is still possible to limit the risk of developing such a condition. To avoid the formation of clots in the blood, it is particularly necessary to avoid consuming tobacco, staying in bed for too long, being overweight, taking hormone replacement treatments for menopause or taking hormonal contraceptives in the event of factors risk of phlebitis. Finally, it is also possible to prevent the migration of a venous clot in the event of phlebitis using two measures: taking anticoagulant treatment or placing a filter on the vena cava downstream of the renal veins.
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