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Pulmonary embolus - Symptom

Alternative Names

Venous thromboembolism; Lung blood clot; Blood clot - lung; Embolus; Tumor embolus

Symptoms:

Chest pain
- Under the breastbone or on one side
- Especially sharp or stabbing; also may be a burning, aching, or dull, heavy sensation
- May get worse with deep breathing, coughing, eating, bending, or stooping (person may bend over or hold his or her chest in response to the pain)
Cough
- Begins suddenly
- May cough up blood or blood-streaked sputum
Rapid breathing
Rapid heart rate
Shortness of breath
- May occur at rest or during activity
- Starts suddenly

Other symptoms that may occur:

Anxiety
Bluish skin discoloration
Clammy skin
Dizziness
Leg pain in one or both legs
Lightheadedness or fainting
Low blood pressure
Lump associated with a vein near the surface of the body, may be painful
Nasal flaring
Pelvis pain
Sweating
Swelling in the legs
Weak or absent pulse
Wheezing

Signs and tests:

The following lab tests may be done to see how well your lungs are working:

Arterial blood gases
Pulse oximetry

The following imaging tests can help determine where the blood clot is located:

Chest x-ray
CT angiogram of the chest
Pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scan
Pulmonary angiogram

Other tests that may be done include:

Lungs

Respiratory system

Pulmonary embolus

Reviewed last on: 1/27/2009
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Anderson DR, Kahn SR, Rodger MA, et al. Computed tomographic pulmonary angiography vs ventilation-perfusion lung scanning in patients with suspected pulmonary embolism: a randomized controlled trial.JAMA. 2007;298(23):2743-53.

Righini M, Le Gal G, Aujesky D, et al. Diagnosis of pulmonary embolism by multidetector CT alone or combined with venous ultrasonography of the leg: a randomised non-inferiority trial. Lancet. 2008;371(9621):1343-52.

Snow V, Qaseem A, Barry P, et al. Management of venous thromboembolism: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2007;146(3):204-10. Epub 2007 Jan 29.

Tapson VF. Pulmonary embolism. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 99.

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