Know the Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Treatment of a Pulmonary Embolism
A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot travels from the leg and gets lodged in a lung. It damages lung tissue by blocking circulation to that part of the lung.

Know the Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Treatment of a Pulmonary Embolism

This potentially fatal blood clot usually starts in the leg as a deep vein thrombosis. Avoiding obesity, smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle may help lower your risk.

A blood clot that gets lodged in your lungs—a condition known as a pulmonary embolism—typically starts out in your leg before traveling up into your heart and then your lungs. In the legs, this clot is called a deep vein thrombosis, and it can develop quickly. The complications that can stem from a pulmonary embolism (PE) include damage to the affected lung, low oxygen levels in the blood, and damage to other organs that don’t receive enough oxygen.

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