Last Saturday (September 9th), the lead singer of the pagoda group Molejo, Anderson Leonardo, was hospitalized for treatment of pneumonia. After medical examination and detailed examinations, the 51yearold singer was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism and was in stable condition.
Anderson’s case is not unusual. Although anyone can be affected by the disease, there are some risk factors that increase the risk. According to the Clinic for Advanced Respiratory Diseases (CDRA), family history, smoking, obesity, some cancers and heart problems lead to greater susceptibility to the disease.
What is Embolism?
A pulmonary embolism, also called pulmonary thromboembolism, occurs when a blood clot the most common cause , fat, air or cancer cells usually from the deep leg or pelvic veins lodges in the pulmonary circulation. This can lead to impaired circulation and thus death from suffocation or a drop in blood pressure. Any situation that immobilizes the legs can also trigger a blood clot, including surgery, trauma, long flights, and taking sex hormones.
Symptoms of an embolism
If the disease is in a less advanced stage or the blood clots dissolve quickly, the patient may have no or only mild symptoms.
However, if the disease is advanced and there are larger blood clots or more than one artery is affected, symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, anxiety, and pale skin may occur. Also look for signs of cyanosis bluish skin and nails , dry cough, fever, and stabbing chest pains, as these may indicate a more serious condition involving more than one blocked artery or a pulmonary infarction.
Treatment
Treatment of pulmonary embolism depends on the severity of the clinical condition and is directly related to the size of the obstruction and the patient’s condition. Therefore, early detection and immediate treatment are essential.
Options include medical monitoring and use of anticlotting medications, as well as surgery to remove the blood clot, which is only considered in more serious cases.
There have been many advances in the treatment of embolism in recent years, particularly with the emergence of new anticoagulants with excellent safety and efficacy.
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