What are the early symptoms of pulmonary embolism?

Written by Chen Tian Hua
Cardiology
Updated on December 19, 2024
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The early symptoms of pulmonary embolism are clinically diverse and often non-specific. Mild cases may not present any symptoms at all. Common symptoms include the following: 1. Unexplained difficulty in breathing; 2. Pain in the precordial region; 3. Some patients initially present with fainting as the first clinical symptom; 4. Some patients may also experience irritability, fear, or a near-death feeling; 5. Early symptoms can also include coughing, coughing up blood, and palpitations. Pulmonary embolism is a critical condition in clinical settings. Once it occurs, it is essential to go to the hospital promptly for an accurate diagnosis and to receive effective treatment to avoid severe clinical consequences.

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Why can't patients with pulmonary embolism get out of bed?

Pulmonary embolism is a relatively common clinical disease, with many and complex inducing factors. The most common cause of pulmonary embolism in patients is due primarily to thrombi dislodging from the veins of the lower limbs or the pelvic deep veins, traveling through the bloodstream to the pulmonary arteries, thus causing the disease. Therefore, bed rest is essential during the acute phase of pulmonary embolism. The purpose of bed rest is to prevent further embolisms, to avoid the dislodging of pelvic or lower limb deep vein thrombi, which could lead to the formation of new thrombi. Therefore, for patients with pulmonary embolism, it is crucial to provide timely treatments such as thrombolysis to control the clinical symptoms caused by the pulmonary embolism effectively.

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The difference between pulmonary embolism and pulmonary congestion

Pulmonary embolism and pulmonary congestion are two completely different diseases. Pulmonary embolism is mainly caused by the thrombosis of the venous vessels entering the pulmonary artery, thereby causing restricted blood flow in the pulmonary artery and leading to pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary congestion is often due to left heart failure, where the blood flow in the lungs cannot return to the left heart, causing the blood to be retained and congested in the lungs, forming this disease. However, they do have some similarities, such as presenting symptoms of difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, low blood pressure, shock, etc. But through diagnosis and additional examinations, these two diseases can be clearly differentiated. Therefore, careful differentiation is required in clinical practice because the treatments for the two diseases are completely different. If misdiagnosed, the treatment could be incorrect, leading to serious consequences from mistreatment.

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How long does the treatment for pulmonary embolism take?

The timing of pulmonary embolism treatment mainly depends on the severity of the pulmonary embolism. The main goals of pulmonary embolism treatment are to save lives by addressing life-threatening right heart dysfunction and obstructive shock caused by the pulmonary embolism, to re-establish pulmonary vascular patency, restore lung tissue perfusion, and prevent the recurrence of pulmonary embolism. Main treatment methods include: respiratory and circulatory support, anticoagulation, thrombolysis, interventional or surgical removal of blood clots, placement of inferior vena cava filters, etc. General management: Patients who are highly suspected or diagnosed with pulmonary embolism should be closely monitored, tracking changes in respiration, heart rate, blood pressure, venous pressure, electrocardiogram, and blood gases to prevent the dislodgement of clots again. Absolute bed rest is required, and care should be taken not to overly bend the lower limbs, maintain bowel regularity, and avoid straining. For patients experiencing anxiety and panic symptoms, reassurance should be provided, along with appropriate use of sedatives. If there is chest pain, analgesics may be administered. For symptoms like fever and cough, corresponding symptomatic treatments should be given. To prevent lung infections and treat phlebitis, antibiotics may be used. Additionally, support treatments for respiratory and circulatory functions, as well as anticoagulation therapy, should be provided.

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Is pulmonary embolism related to pneumonia?

If unexplained shortness of breath, pleuritic chest pain, tachycardia, and decreased oxygen saturation occur, one should be highly vigilant about pulmonary embolism. Generally, pulmonary embolism has no direct relationship with pneumonia. High-risk factors for pulmonary embolism include obesity, prolonged immobilization, stroke, congestive heart failure, malignant tumor, inflammatory bowel disease, lower limb fracture, anesthesia time exceeding 30 minutes, and acquired or genetic hypercoagulable state. It usually manifests as difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, and pleuritic chest pain.

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What should I do if I have pulmonary embolism and asthma?

Pulmonary embolism is a very common type of disease clinically, and its triggering factors are numerous and complex. For such patients, the main triggering factors are usually the detachment of thrombi from the pelvic deep veins and the lower limb deep veins, leading to pulmonary artery embolism. Therefore, the clinical symptoms that appear in these patients are mainly difficulty breathing, chest tightness, chest pain, and some patients may experience coughing, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, and even wheezing. Thus, for such patients, it is first necessary to clarify the cause of the disease, and then provide the patient with oxygen, thrombolysis, anticoagulation, and other symptomatic treatments. Usually, after effective symptomatic treatment, when the embolism location is effectively controlled, the symptoms of wheezing and air blockage that the patient experiences will also be significantly improved.