Recognize the Symptoms and Warning Signs of Pulmonary Embolism

In September of 2011, I rushed to the hospital, unable to breathe, pain in my chest, with swollen feet, hands, face and body. When I arrived at the ER, they rushed me through the admission process and straight to the back where they handled the chest pain center. I was hooked up to many machines, tested, poked and prodded and then admitted to the hospital for over a week.

The day after I was admitted, my doctor came to visit me in the hospital after I was admitted, and gave me the diagnosis of the acute condition that had prompted the emergency room visit: massive multiple pulmonary embolisms (MMPE). I had multiple blood clots, known as DVTs, that had broken loose from my legs and pelvis and had traveled through my abdomen, through the heart and into my lungs.

Symptoms of Pulmonary Embolism

Sometimes, the symptoms can be subtle for pulmonary embolisms, if the clots are small and there are only a few of them. The symptoms can also sometimes mimic other conditions, such as a cold, pneumonia, pleurisy, COPD and other respiratory problems. That’s why whenever a person experiences pain in the chest or shortness of breath they visit their doctor immediately.

For me, the symptoms included: difficulty breathing, shortness of breath that worsened on exertion, sweating, low-grade fever, pain in the chest, fluid retention and edema, tachycardia (rapid heart rate), and low blood pressure, though in some patients blood pressure might rise instead.

Treatment for Pulmonary Embolism

For the most part, pulmonary embolisms will usually not alleviate or dissipate on their own. They require medical treatment, and because of the danger of instant, sudden death, they require immediately medical treatment upon the suspicion of having a pulmonary embolism. That is why whenever a patient has shortness of breath, chest pain or unexplained symptoms that might resemble a pulmonary embolism, diagnosis by a health care professional should happen as quickly as possible, even if it means calling an ambulance.

Diagnosis of Pulmonary Embolism

Doctors will likely do what they did to me if you think you might have a pulmonary embolism. They will possibly take x-rays, do imaging scans on the CT machine, perform a ventilation perfusion exam, take blood, listen to your heart and chest, and perform echocardiograms to see if the emboli have damaged the heart. Most of these tests are non-invasive and aren’t all that painful, especially when considering not diagnosing pulmonary embolisms can lead to death.

Resolving the Pulmonary Embolism

Those who are diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism will be treated with a class of drugs known as ‘blood thinners’. These drugs will likely include an IV of heparin, injections of heparin or low-molecular weight heparin, and/or warfarin and aspirin therapy. I was treated with all of these while in the hospital and am now what’s considered a ‘Coumadin Lifer’; that is, I will take Coumadin, an anticoagulation drug, for the rest of my life to prevent future clots that might form and travel through my heart and lungs and kill me.

Complications from Pulmonary Embolism

The biggest and worst complication from a PE is, of course, instant sudden death. Should a patient survive a pulmonary embolism, any number of complications and damage can occur. For me, my heart was damaged in the process, with one of my arterial valves of my heart dilating, and subsequent pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This makes it difficult for me to breathe now, since the heart is causing pressure through the lungs, which is triggered upon exertion. My pulse is rapid and my breathing is still struggling (I’m on oxygen therapy now), and there is a good chance this damage will not repair itself.

I waited too long to seek medical treatment after my first symptoms appeared. If reading this article can teach you one thing, that’s what I hope you can take away from it. Had I been treated immediately upon experiencing the first symptoms, the damage to my heart and lungs might have been prevented. As it stands now, I will be on medication for the rest of my life, and might possibly never have a normal medical life again. We are hopeful, however, that this is not the case and I will continue to heal.

However, you can learn from my mistake and save yourself the risk: If you experience any of the symptoms of a pulmonary embolism-which are more common than one might think-seek immediate emergency medical assistance, even if you must call an ambulance. Your life is worth it.


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