Pulmonary Embolism: 10 Common Symptoms To Watch For

Shortness of Breath

As mentioned earlier, pulmonary embolism has the capacity to be instantly fatal. When a deep vein blood clot breaks free, it can travel upwards into the lungs; at which point lung tissue becomes damaged due to the blockage and oxygen levels drop. One of the most common symptoms experienced during a pulmonary embolism will be shortness of breath. If left untreated, there is roughly a 33 percent chance it will be fatal.

If you are feeling as though you are suffering shortness of breath, there are a number of tests your doctor can perform to verify if you have a pulmonary embolism. The first and easiest of these tests is called pulse oximetry which measures the amount of oxygen in your veins. Other tests include chest X rays, lung scans or arterial blood tests; all of which look for clots in the lungs.