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Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffMost cases of pulmonary embolism are initially evaluated in emergency departments or urgent care centers. If you think you might have a pulmonary embolism, you should seek immediate medical attention.
What you can do
You may want to write a list that includes:
- Detailed descriptions of your symptoms
- Information about your past medical problems — especially any recent surgeries or illnesses that kept you bedridden for several days
- Details on any recent journeys that involved long car or plane rides
- Information about the medical problems of parents or siblings
- Questions you want to ask the doctor
What to expect from your doctor
During the physical exam, your doctor might inspect your legs for evidence of a deep vein clot — an area that's tender, red and warm. He or she will also listen to your heart and lungs, and will check your blood pressure.
- Pulmonary embolism. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/pe/pe_what.html. Accessed June 26, 2009.
- Thompson BT, et al. Overview of acute pulmonary embolism. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 26, 2009.
- Kline JA, et al. Pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosis. In: Marx JA, et al. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practices. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/146574529-3/0/1365/250.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-02845-4..50092-5--cesec18_4265. Accessed June 29, 2009.
- Bauer KA, et al. Overview of causes of venous thrombosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 26, 2009.
- Deep vein thrombosis. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00219. Accessed June 29, 2009.
- Tapson VF. Pulmonary embolism. In: Goldman L. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/146574529-5/0/1492/393.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50104-X--cesec7_4150. Accessed June 29, 2009.
- Pulmonary hypertension. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/pah/pah_what.html. Accessed June 29, 2009.
- Ferri FF. Pulmonary embolism. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2009. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/146779547-3/0/1701/492.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-04134-8..50019-7--subchapter69_10424. Accessed June 30, 2009.
- General nuclear medicine. Radiological Society of North America. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?PG=gennuclear. Accessed June 30, 2009.
- Catheter angiography. Radiological Society of North America. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?PG=Angiocath. Accessed June 30, 2009.
- Lip GY, et al. Patient information: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT). http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 30, 2009.
- Deep vein thrombosis. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Dvt/DVT_All.html. Accessed June 30, 2009.
- Rosenow EC (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 5, 2009.
