What is pulmonary thromboembolism?

➢ 99% are made up of all or part of a mobilized thromboembolism ➢ Consequences: Ischemic necrosis of distal tissues ➢ > 95% come from the deep veins of the IM ➢ Most (60-80%) silent, because the embolus is small ➢ Sudden death: by massive embolism in the trunk of the pulmonary artery (interruption of circulation leads to cardiac arrest). ➢ Acute right heart failure if a single pulmonary artery or large branch artery is occluded ➢ Chronic heart failure (called "chronic pulmonary heart") as a result of multiple small distal pulmonary embolisms that often go unnoticed (reduction of vascular bed leads to increased pulmonary resistance and pulmonary arterial hypertension)