A pulmonary embolism, sometimes called a blood clot in the lung, is a serious medical condition which can have life-threatening consequences to even the young and healthy.
According to Sports Illustrated, 29-year-old tennis sensation Serena Williams suffered from a clot during the last week of February and required additional treatment for a hematoma on March 1. A hematoma is a condition where blood has escaped from the blood vessels into the surrounding tissues.
Williams has had on-going medical issues since cutting her foot at a restaurant last July and has not appeared in competitive tennis events since then.
The danger of a pulmonary embolism is that it cuts of oxygen to whatever part of the body is served by the artery that is blocked. The National Institute of Health described a PE as a sudden blockage of the lung artery most often caused when a blood clot in the veins of the legs move into the lungs.
In the event that there are many clots, or if the blot is large enough, a pulmonary embolism can cause death as it stops the flow of oxygenated blood to the heart and brain as well as other major organs.
The most common cause of PE is deep vein thrombosis; that is, a blood clot forms in the veins of the legs and breaks loose, moving to the lung artery where it lodges and causes pain and shortness of breath. Ninety percent of PE cases come from DVT.
The development of blood clots in the legs can often come from an injury or surgery to the extremities or long periods of immobility, such as long plane or car rides. Williams had surgery on her foot following the accident in July, 2010.
Preventing a pulmonary embolism begins with preventing DVT. The National Health Institute recommends stretching regularly during long periods of travel and walking as soon after surgery as is permitted by your doctor. Some medications, such as Coumadin, may also be administered to people with a history of deep vein thrombosis or other blood clots.
Symptoms of a pulmonary embolism include sudden and unexplained trouble breathing, chest pain, pain while breathing, coughs or coughing up blood. Sometimes a PE is accompanied by an irregular heartbeat. Patients with PE sometimes experience an overwhelming feeling of dread, sweating and a rapid heartbeat.
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