Definition

1. Noun:
   • A blockage of the pulmonary artery: A serious medical condition where the pulmonary artery, which carries blood from the heart to the lungs, becomes obstructed.
   • Cause of blockage: This obstruction is typically caused by a blood clot that has traveled from another part of the body (often a deep vein in the leg, known as deep vein thrombosis) or, less commonly, by other foreign matter such as air, fat, or amniotic fluid.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The patient was rushed to the hospital with a suspected pulmonary embolism.
  • A pulmonary embolism can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.
  • Symptoms of a pulmonary embolism include sudden shortness of breath and chest pain.

Advanced Usage

• "to suffer a pulmonary embolism": to experience this medical event.
  • The long-haul flight increased his risk of suffering a pulmonary embolism.
• "diagnosis/treatment of pulmonary embolism": referring to the medical identification or management of the condition.
  • Advances in the treatment of pulmonary embolism have improved survival rates.

Variants and Related Words

• Embolism (n): The general term for the blockage of a blood vessel by a traveling clot or other material. A pulmonary embolism is a specific type of embolism.
• Embolus (n): The clot or particle that causes the blockage.
• Thromboembolism (n): A condition where a blood clot (thrombus) breaks loose and causes an embolism elsewhere.

Synonyms

• Lung clot: An informal term.
• Pulmonary artery blockage: A descriptive synonym.

Related Phrases

• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): A common precursor condition where a blood clot forms in a deep vein, often in the leg, which can then travel to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism.
• Venous thromboembolism (VTE): An umbrella term that includes both deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE).

Notes

• Pulmonary embolism is often abbreviated as PE in medical contexts.
• It is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in hospitalized patients or those with limited mobility.

Noun

1. blockage of the pulmonary artery by foreign matter or by a blood clot