How to How to treat pulmonary embolism

Blood clot in one of the lung arteries can be fatal. Treatments for pulmonary embolism (PE) are aimed at preventing the formation of a new blood clot and stop the existing one from enlarging. Follow these steps to treat the blood clot in lungs

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• physician
• medication
• hospital

1. Hospitalize all patients.
2. Administer anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as intravenous heparin, lovenox. Medications that actually dissolve the clot are called thrombolytics should be reserved for serious cases.
3. After the IV therapy is initiated start oral Warfarin (Coumadin). Patient may need to take this for at least three months after his discharge from the hospital.
4. If the source of the blood clot is the veins of the lower limbs a filter (Inferior vena cava or IVC filter) may be placed in the big vein of the abdomen. This filter traps clots before they could enter in to the lung arteries after passing through heart. An IVC filter is often recommended in patients who cannot use anticoagulants because of recent surgery, a hemorrhagic stroke, bleeding in another area of the body, etc
5. Surgical removal of the clot called Embolectomy may be performed either by using catheters or with an open surgical procedures if thrombolytic therapy fails or is contraindicated.

Tips & Warnings

• People who take warfarin should wear a bracelet alert.
• Patients with PE are at an increased risk for developing another PE. Therefore, watch for signs of a new PE, such as new chest pain, difficulty breathing, a rapid heart rate, or lightheadedness.
• Patients taking anticoagulants are at a risk of bleeding from gut, urine and other organs. A health care provider should be notified immediately if this happens.