A blockage of one or more arteries in the lungs, typically caused by blood clots that travel from the legs or other parts of the body. This life-threatening condition prevents proper oxygenation and can cause sudden death.
From Latin 'pulmonarius' (of the lungs) + Greek 'embolismos' from 'emballein' (to throw in). The term 'embolism' was coined by German pathologist Rudolf Virchow in 1848 to describe foreign material traveling in blood vessels. The concept revolutionized understanding of how clots could kill by traveling to vital organs.
Pulmonary embolism is often called the 'great masquerader' because its symptoms can mimic everything from heart attacks to anxiety attacks! The classic triad of chest pain, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood only occurs in about 20% of cases.
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