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Serena’s out Tennis star Serena Williams has undergone medical treatment for a
pulmonary embolism. Treatment often involves the patient being on
blood thinners, which may sideline Serena from the game for while.

What is Signs and Sometimes,

pulmonary
embolism?
A pulmonary embolism,
or PE, is a sudden
Lung blockage in a lung
artery artery. The blockage
usually is due to a
blood clot that has
travelled to the lung
from a vein in the leg.
the only symp-
symptoms toms are related to
DVT, which include
• Shortness of breath
• Problems breathing
swelling of the leg or
along the vein in the
leg, pain or tenderness
• Chest pains in the leg, a feeling of
• Coughing increased warmth in the
• Coughing up blood area of the leg that's
swollen or tender, and
• Increased heart rate
red or discolored
• An irregular heartbeat skin on the
• Feelings of anxiety affected leg
• Lightheadeness, faint
• Rapid breathing
• Sweating

6 Pulmonary embolisms
can result in perma-
nent lung damage as
well as damage to
other organs in
Treatment of PE
Pulmonary embolism is
the body. usually treated with
medicines, procedures,

5 Embolus
and other therapies.
can block
the artery. This is In most cases,
know as a pulmo- the types of
medicines used
nary embolism. are anticoagulants
(blood thinners).

4 The embolus travels

to the lungs.
The goal of
treatment is to
stop the blood
clot from getting
The travelling
clot is known
as an embolus
3 Clot travels through
the bloodstream.
bigger as well as keeping
new clots from forming.
In life-threatening

2 Part
situations, doctors
of the clot will need to use
breaks free thrombolytics —
The clot can from the vein medicine that break
block blood up and remove
flow in the vein,
1 A blood clot forms in clots quickly.
resulting in pain, It is rare
swelling and the deep veins of the that a patient
redness leg, usually in the will ever have to
lower leg or the undergo surgery
thigh — a condition to remove the
known as deep vein blood clot.
thrombosis (DVT).
Sources: Graphic News; National Heart Lung and Blood Institute ANTHONY GREEN/QMI AGENCY