Word parts
What it means
Most often a clot breaks off from a deep vein thrombosisDEEP VAYN throm-BOH-sisA blood clot in a deep vein, most often in the leg or pelvis.thromb/o clot-osis conditionFull entry in the leg, travels through the heart and gets stuck in a pulmonary arteryPUL-muh-nair-ee AR-ter-eeThe large blood vessel that carries blood low in oxygen from the right side of the heart to the lungs.Full entry . Blood cannot reach part of the lung to pick up oxygen. Typical findings are sudden shortness of breath, sharp chest pain on breathing in, a fast heart rate, anxiety and low oxygen saturation.
For the nurse
Sudden shortness of breath and chest pain in a client at risk, such as after surgery or bed rest, needs action at once: stay with the client, raise the head of the bed, give oxygen as ordered and call for help. Prevent it by getting clients moving early and using compression devices and anticoagulants as ordered.
In a chart
"Post-op day 2, sudden onset dyspnea and pleuritic chest pain, HR 124, SpO2 86%; rapid response called."
At a glance
| Abbreviations | PE (not used alone: it also means physical exam and pleural effusion) |
|---|---|
| Spanish | embolia pulmonar |
| Also written | pulmonary embolisms, pulmonary emboli |
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.
anticoagulant
A drug that slows the blood's ability to form clots.
embolism
The blocking of a blood vessel by a mass carried there in the blood (an embolus), such as a clot, fat or an air bubble.