What is an embolism

An embolism is a blockage that plugs up an artery in the body and slows or even stops blood flow to the area of the body supplied by the artery. Many substances can cause blockages. Usually, the embolus (EM-bo-lus) is something small that h…

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Definition An embolism is an obstruction in a blood vessel due to a blood clot or other foreign matter that gets stuck while traveling through the bloodstream. The plural of embolism is emboli. Description Emboli have moved from the place w…

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An embolus in the brain likely will likely cause a stroke, and an embolism starting in the heart can cause an emboli in any part of the body. A pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in the lungs, often causes part of the lung to die because it k…

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Related Questions Answered on Y!Answers

What is the difference between an aneurysm and an embolism?

Q: Is the difference where they happen (head versus body), between hitting a vein or artery, or how serious the damage is? Can a cerebral accident be both an aneurysm and an embolism at the same time?

A: Yes. An aneurism is the ballooning of a blood vessel, and it can rupture due to a weak vessel wall.An embolism is a clot floating around in the bloodstream, and is critical when it reaches either the brain or the heart. Elsewhere, it may cause a stroke/paralysis.

What is the difference between an embolism and a stroke? or are they the same thing?

Q: Not sure if they are the same thing or different. Or is an embolism the cause of a stroke?Thanks for any info

A: Not quite the same, an embolism is a travelling wad of something, usually a blood clot, that will end up at the terminus of a blood vessel. If that vessel is in the brain or supplies the heart, etc, there may be a big problem because enough blood will no longer supply that area.A stroke can be due to not enough blood flow, either from an embolus, or constriction of blood vessels without an embolus, or may also be from hemorrhage (bleeding).So an embolus can cause a stroke if the clot (or fat or air or whatever comprises the embolus) ends up in the brain.

How do you explain an air embolism in a 16 year old?

Q: 16 year old male, taking unknown weight loss supplement for 1 year, develops chest pain/ shortness of breath while weight lifting, is ultimately found to have an air embolism in his right ventricle. Had no recent venous access, no surgeries/procedures, no prior medical history. How could this have happened??

A: Weight Lifting?I may be 100% wrong, but he could be abusing steroids.You know when you watch a medical program and they spray liquid out of a syringe and then tap the end of the needle? Well, that’s to get rid of the air bubbles and to prevent air embolisms.If you’re 16 year old shot them self up with riods and didn’t do this, then they could easily have given them self an air embolism.