If a clot lodges in the lungs, there may be sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing up blood, and a low-grade fever. The patient sometimes tightens the chest muscles or avoids deep breathing to diminish pain. The patient may also have some swelling in the legs. A person with a large clot may pass out, appear bluish in color, or have bulging neck veins. Most clots resolve after 10 to 14 days.
Treatment consists of oxygen therapy and blood thinners that prevent further blood clots.
Patients with large clots may need agents that break up the clot. Extreme cases may require emergency surgery. Anyone recovering from pulmonary embolism, or who are at high risk of having one, often take medications that thin the blood for several months. They should consult their healthcare provider before taking any other drugs or before engaging in strenuous activities. Keeping as active as possible is the best prevention.