Word parts
What it means
An embolus is a mass that travels in the blood, and an embolism happens when it lodges in a vessel too small to pass. Most are blood clots, but fat (after a long-bone fracture), air (from an IV line) and amniotic fluid can also cause one. What happens depends on where it lodges: the lung (pulmonary embolismPUL-muh-nair-ee EM-buh-liz-umA blockage of an artery in the lungs, usually by a blood clot that has traveled there from elsewhere in the body.pulmon/o lung-ary relating toembol/o plug-ism conditionFull entry ), the brain (stroke) or a limb.
For the nurse
Remove air from IV tubing before an infusion and look for sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, confusion or a cold, painful limb in a client at risk.
At a glance
| Spanish | embolia |
|---|---|
| Also written | embolisms, embolus, emboli, embolic |
Related terms
deep vein thrombosis
A blood clot in a deep vein, most often in the leg or pelvis.
thrombosis
The forming of a blood clot (a thrombus) inside a blood vessel or the heart.
pulmonary embolism
A blockage of an artery in the lungs, usually by a blood clot that has traveled there from elsewhere in the body.