Acute Pulmonary Embolism

Excerpt

A pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs when a blood clot obstructs the pulmonary artery or its branches. In deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a thrombus develops within the deep veins, most commonly in the lower extremities. PE usually occurs when a part of this thrombus breaks off and enters the pulmonary circulation. PE rarely occurs from the embolization of other materials into the pulmonary circulation, such as air, fat, or tumor cells. The spectrum of PE and DVT combined is called venous thromboembolism (VTE).p