Medication may be used to dissolve embolisms (thrombolysis) caused by blood clots. During the operation, the surgeon makes a cut in the affected artery so that the foreign body causing the blockage can be sucked out in a process known as aspiration. How an embolism is treated will depend on:Ī surgical procedure called an embolectomy is sometimes carried out to remove an obstruction. are overweight or obese (have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more).Your risk of getting an embolism is increased if you: This can lead to breathing problems, a drop in blood pressure and loss of consciousness. In rare cases, amniotic fluid – which surrounds and protects a baby inside the womb – can leak into the mother's blood vessels during labour, causing a blockage. In people with severe atherosclerosis (narrowed arteries caused by a build-up of cholesterol), small pieces of cholesterol can sometimes break away from the side of a blood vessel, resulting in an embolism. If a diver swims to the surface too quickly, the change in pressure can cause nitrogen bubbles to form in their bloodstream and become trapped in a blood vessel. This blockage can cause decompression sickness, which is often referred to as "the bends". AirĮmbolisms can also occur if air bubbles or other gases enter the bloodstream.Īir embolisms are a particular concern for scuba divers. Fat particles can also sometimes develop following severe burns or as a complication of bone surgery. FatĪ fracture to a long bone, such as a thigh bone, can lead to fat particles within the bone being released into the bloodstream. Blood clotsīlood contains natural clotting agents which help prevent you bleeding excessively when you cut yourself.Ĭertain health conditions – such as obesity, heart disease, cancer and pregnancy – can cause blood clots to form inside your veins even where there's no bleeding.Ī clot can travel in the bloodstream before it gets stuck and starts to block the blood flow to an organ or a limb. Some common causes of an embolism are outlined below. Foreign bodies that cause embolisms are known as emboli – a single emboli is called an embolus. CausesĪ foreign body is any object or substance which shouldn't be in your blood. Read about the warning signs of an air embolism. You may have a DVT that's developed into a pulmonary embolism.ĭivers should always be carefully monitored by their colleagues and supervisors so any air or gas embolism can be identified and treated immediately. Get immediate medical help if you have pain, swelling and tenderness in your leg and you develop breathlessness and chest pain. red skin, particularly at the back of your leg below the knee.pain, swelling and tenderness in one of your legs (usually your calf).DVT sometimes doesn't cause any symptoms. It’s one of the main causes of pulmonary embolisms. Shortness of breath, coughing up blood and feeling faint or dizzy, or passing out are also common symptoms.ĭeep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot in the deep veins of your leg. If you have a pulmonary embolism you'll have a sharp or stabbing chest pain that starts suddenly or comes on gradually. The main symptoms of a stroke are drooping of the face, weakness or numbness in one arm, and slurred speech, or an inability to talk or understand what is being said.ĭial 999 immediately to ask for an ambulance if you suspect that you or someone else is having a stroke. The symptoms of an embolism depend on the particular type of embolism involved. pulmonary embolism – where a foreign body blocks the artery that carries blood from the heart to the lungs (the pulmonary artery).stroke – where the blood supply to the brain is cut off.If the blood supply to a major organ – such as the brain, heart or lungs – is blocked, the organ will lose some or all of its function.Ģ of the most serious conditions caused by an embolism are: The body's tissues and organs need oxygen, which is transported around the body in the bloodstream. An embolism is a blocked artery caused by a foreign body, such as a blood clot or an air bubble.
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