Thromboembolism (Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism)

When To Call A Professional

Call your doctor or go to a hospital emergency room immediately if you develop shortness of breath or sharp chest pain.

Call your doctor if you have swelling, pain, redness or warmth in one leg.

If you had a LENI test that was inconclusive and your doctor asked you to return in three or four days for another test, call your doctor sooner if your leg swelling worsens.

Prognosis

Without treatment, a pulmonary embolism can be deadly. With appropriate and timely treatment, the outlook is very good.

Once you develop a DVT or pulmonary embolism, you are usually more likely to develop a second blood clot. This is because the original blood clot damaged some of your leg veins. Now, your blood does not move as quickly or smoothly through these veins, raising your risk of a new blood clot. However, if there is a clear reason that the blood clot formed, such as a long bed rest after surgery or an injury that damaged your blood vessels, your risk of developing more blood clots is relatively low unless you are forced to be inactive again or have another injury.

Additional Info

American College of Cardiology Heart House 9111 Old Georgetown Road Bethesda, MD 20814-1699 Phone: 301-897-5400 Toll-Free: 1-800-253-4636, ext. 694 Fax: 301-897-9745 Email: resource@acc.org http://www.acc.org/