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A pulmonary embolism is often as a result of deep vein thrombosis, or a condition where a blood clot forms in another part of the body such as the legs, arms or abdomen, which then travels to the lungs and gets trapped in the large vessels of the lungs. Pulmonary embolism must be treated immediately due to the high mortality rate this condition carries with it.

A blood clot can form in any of the limbs or abdominal region due to a number of reasons:

• Being sedentary and sitting or lying down for long periods of time such as in an office, or lying down in bed due to a prolonged illness or after surgery.
• Smokers are more predisposed due to blood clots due to the chemicals contained in cigarettes which mess with the normal way blood clots.
• Having any kind of damage or trauma to vein walls due to a number of lifestyle diseases.
• Recovering from a broken bone or limb
• Certain cancers
• Spinal cord injury
• A diagnosis of Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or irritable bowel syndrome
• A recent or current infection
• Previous heart attack or stroke
• Being on hormonal birth control

Pulmonary embolism due to a blood clot arising out of deep vein thrombosis can damage the heart if it doesn’t kill you, leading to a likelihood of suffering from a host of heart-related conditions in the future. This is because the clot stops the heart from receiving oxygen and working as it should, leading to a feeling of dizziness, suffocation and heavy sweating.

Here are some of the medical interventions performed to resolve blood clots:

• Administering blood thinners
• Suctioning out the clot using a catheter
• Surgery to get to the clot and remove it
• Placing a filter in a vein to stop the clot from moving to the lungs.

Pulmonary Embolism and Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

Medical malpractice due to pulmonary embolism misdiagnosis makes sense if a doctor or surgeon did not take reasonable steps to stop the DVT from developing into a pulmonary embolism by not diagnosing it in a timely manner, not ordering the correct tests to be performed, ignoring the patient’s complaints or acting in an incompetent manner. These kinds of cases are complex and require the preparation of sufficient evidence. For this reason, you need an excellent medical malpractice attorney on your side to make sure all bases are covered.

Need medical malpractice legal help? Please call us today on 877-561-3004 for your free and confidential consultation. Thanks, and we look forward to hearing from you.