A 52-year old man suffers a pulmonary embolism that orginated as a blood clot in his right leg. Describe this condition and how it develops. Specifically trace the pathway of the blood clot from the leg to the lungs.
2007-09-28 12:56:21 · 5 answers · asked by crismarie 4 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Respiratory Diseases
A blood clot that begins in the leg will travel thru the vein till it reaches the inferior vena cava and then into the right atrium of the heart. From there is passes into the right ventricle.
It is then pumped to the lungs via the pulmonary artery; there you have a pulmonary embolism (PE). Since the lung capillaries are extremely small the clot lodges in the pulmonary (lung) blood vessels and the normal process of clot formation and lysis is disrupted.
Most microclots begin in the calf area of the leg, however many also begin above the knee.
Pulmonary thromboembolism is not a disease in and of itself. Rather, it is an often fatal complication of underlying venous thrombosis. Under normal conditions, microthrombi (tiny aggregates of red cells, platelets, and fibrin) are formed and lysed continually within the venous circulatory system.
This dynamic equilibrium ensures local hemostasis in response to injury without permitting uncontrolled propagation of clot. Under pathological conditions, microthrombi may escape the normal fibrinolytic system to grow and propagate. PE occurs when these propagating clots break loose and embolize to block pulmonary blood vessels.
2007-09-28 13:58:19 · answer #1 · answered by Tech 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The most common place for a blot clop to form is in the lower limbs. It then travels up the same vein that they use to do angioplasty on the heart. It is a direct route to the heart and lungs. Once it enters the lungs is attaches to the walls and starts causing pain when you take a deep breath. Mos of the time they can dissolve them with blood thinning agents such as Heparin and Cumadin. Sometimes if a person is prone to clots the doctors will wan to insert stints in the arms that stop the blood clots from entering the lungs. Its like a screen that breaks them up. Aspirin therapy is sometimes used to prevent blood clots.
2007-09-28 13:03:26 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Do your own friggin homework. This is the second question of your's we've seen. I hope you don't plan on becomming an RN cause I sure as hell wouldn't want to be your patient!
2007-09-28 13:14:57 · answer #3 · answered by Cash 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
there is a section for homework questions, this isn't it. Do your own homework if you expect to learn anything.
2007-09-28 12:59:42 · answer #4 · answered by essentiallysolo 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
yeah.....what she said
2007-09-28 13:03:44 · answer #5 · answered by bella36 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋