4 indicators a harmful blood clot may have reached the lungs

One medical emergency that’s attributable to blood clots is a pulmonary embolism.

This occurs when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in your lungs, and might be life-threatening.

The NHS urges you to name 999 or attend A&E in the event you expertise any of 4 signs of a pulmonary embolism.

These embrace if:

• You have extreme issue respiratory
• You really feel ache in your chest or higher again
• Your coronary heart is thrashing very quick
• Someone has handed out.

However, the situation can even trigger you to:

• Have issue respiratory which comes on all of a sudden
• Cough up blood.

If you expertise both of those indicators you need to get an “urgent” GP appointment or name 111, the well being physique says.

Risk of pulmonary embolism

According to the NHS, a pulmonary embolism “often” occurs when a part of a clot dislodges itself from the leg, travelling as much as the lungs.

A blood clot within the leg is named deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Several components can enhance your threat of DVT together with in the event you:

• Are over 60
• Are chubby
• Smoke
• Have had DVT earlier than
• Take the contraceptive capsule or HRT
• Have most cancers or coronary heart failure
• Have varicose veins.

But your probabilities will also be raised by latest occasions akin to in the event you:

• Are staying in or lately left hospital – particularly in the event you can’t transfer round a lot (like after an operation)
• Are confined to mattress
• Go on a protracted journey (greater than three hours) by airplane, automobile or practice
• Are pregnant or in the event you’ve had a child within the earlier six weeks
• Are dehydrated.

Therefore to decrease your threat of a DVT the NHS recommends sustaining a wholesome weight, staying lively and consuming loads of fluids.

It additionally advises avoiding:

• Sitting nonetheless for lengthy durations of time – rise up and transfer round each hour or so
• Crossing your legs whilst you’re sitting
• Smoking
• Drinking a number of alcohol.

Symptoms of DVT within the leg embrace:

• Throbbing ache in a single leg (not often each legs)
• Swelling in a single
• Warm pores and skin across the painful space
• Red or darkened pores and skin across the painful space
• Swollen veins which are exhausting or sore whenever you contact them.

Treatment for DVT and pulmonary embolism embrace taking anticoagulant medicines to skinny the blood.

In uncommon instances, surgical procedure might be carried out to take away a clot from the lungs.

If you suppose you may have DVT you need to converse to your physician.