Pathology Description of Embolism

Embolism

Description of the pathology

Embolism, also referred to as thromboembolism, is a medical condition that entails the blockage of a body artery. The blockage emanates from a blood clot ripped off from another part of the body (embolus) and transported via the bloodstream and lodging in a tiny blood vessel. According to Tarbox and Swaroop (2013, p.69), the blockage limits oxygen flow to vital tissues or stops the proper flow of blood to different organs leading to severe and life-threatening conditions. The main cause of embolism is deep vein thrombosis, where blood clots form in the leg veins. A blood clot can break free and be transported within the bloodstream blocking significant arteries to the brain, lungs, and other organs, causing an embolism in these organs.

Normal anatomy of major body systems affected

Embolism involves the circulatory system of capillaries, veins, arteries, and the heart. Embolism affects two main body organs; the brain and the lungs. A clot in the lungs is referred to as a pulmonary embolism and involves the vessels in the lungs. Blockage of blood vessels supplying the brain with blood causes the strike. Embolism starts at the leg's deep veins and, as such, it can be said it affects the legs. Arteries blockage supplying the heart with blood can lead to heart attack, a life-threatening condition. The central body systems affected by an embolism are the blood, circulatory, respiratory, venous, and nervous. This is because blood vessels supply blood to the heart and lungs, and the blood may have a clot.

Normal physiology of body system affected

Individuals diagnosed with different forms of embolism experience different physiological effects. Patients diagnosed with pulmonary embolism (PE) have exhibited higher depression and anxiety (Tran, Redley, & de Wit, 2021, p.301). Diagnosis with different embolisms also makes the patients have poor mental health compared with health-related life quality. People diagnosed with embolism have to change their lifestyle, which causes them to lose their identity and experience intrusive thoughts and memories. Young adults diagnosed with venous thromboembolism, a significant cause of embolism, experience impaired mental health due to uncertainty surrounding their long-term health and fear of recurrence (Højen et al., 2017, p. 2333). Individuals diagnosed with pulmonary embolism exhibit post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and existential anxiety (Tran et al., 2021, p.301). Pulmonary embolism victims experience Postthrombotic panic syndrome or a state of hyper-vigilance for any physical reminders that lead to psychological distress (Tran et al., 2021, p.301). The psychological distress consists of flashbacks, fear of recurrence, and intrusive thoughts, which are common signs of PTSD.

Mechanism of pathophysiology

Respiratory and hemodynamic effects are related to embolism. The respiratory consequences include enhanced alveolar dead space, hyperventilation, and hypoxemia. Kostadima and Zakynthinos (2007, p.94) explain that pulmonary embolism leads to surfactant and pulmonary infarction. Acute embolism also causes arterial hypoxemia. Another consequence is pulmonary vascular resistance that enhances the right ventricular afterload. Humoral and reflex mechanisms lead to pulmonary arterial constriction (Kostadima & Zakynthinos, 2007, p.94). Chronic pulmonary hypertension can happen when the initial embolus fails to undergo lyses.

Prevention

Prevention of embolism involves both medical and non-medical interventions. There are different things that one can do to lessen embolism risks. The first aspect is watching the diet. Eating healthy food can help in preventing embolism. This includes having a diet that is low in fat and high fiber content, eating whole grains, and taking lots of fruits and vegetables. Eating a healthy diet is recommended to reduce embolism risks and other diseases and conditions. A healthy diet also involves reducing the amount of salt in any diet to less than 6 grams or one teaspoon every day. People that are obese or overweight are at a higher risk of embolism. In this regard, losing weight is one of the preventive measures and can be done by controlling the number of calories taken in conjunction with regular exercises. Exercising is another measure that can help prevent embolism and should involve at least 150 minutes of exercise per week (Kostadima, & Zakynthinos, 2007, p. 101). Smoking also increases the chances of getting one of the embolisms; therefore, cutting smoking can reduce the risks.

The use of blood thinners, also known as anticoagulants, can help prevent blood clots. The medications are mostly provided to individuals at a high risk of blood clots before and after an operation. They are also administered to individuals admitted to the hospital due to heart attack or cancer complications due to various medical conditions. The use of compression stockings is also advisable in the prevention of embolism. They help in steadily squeezing the legs aiding the veins and leg muscles to circulate the blood efficiently. Compression stockings are affordable and simple and help ensure that the blood does not stagnate during and after surgery (Tarbox, & Swaroop, 2013, p.71). A physician mostly recommends them to patients who require surgery to ensure efficient circulation of blood to avoid a clot. Pneumatic compression is another measure that can be used to prevent embolism. It is a treatment that utilizes thigh-high as well as calf-high cuffs to spontaneously inflate and deflate after every moment massaging and squeezing the leg veins to enhance the blood flow.

Treatment

The treatment of embolism depends on the blockage's causes, the blockage's location in the body, and the size of the blockage. The treatment goal should be to prevent the clot from getting larger and prohibit the formation of other clots. The treatment can be done through medication or surgical procedures, depending on the factors above. One of the medications is administering anticoagulants given to a patient to ensure the current clots do not get bigger and no new ones are formed as the body works to break the clot. A frequently used drug is Heparin which can be administered through the vein or injection. Oral anticoagulant also exists, such as warfarin. The other one is clot dissolvers or thrombolytics. Clots can dissolve on their own, but thrombolytics are administered via the vein to enhance the dissolving of the clot. However, clot dissolvers should only be given in life-threatening situations as clot bursting may lead to severe bleeding.

Surgical treatments are also used in embolism. One of the leading surgical procedures used is embolectomy to eliminate an obstruction (Tarbox, & Swaroop, 2013, p.71). The procedure involves the surgeon cutting the affected artery to allow the foreign body triggering the blockage to be sucked out through aspiration. A life-threatening clot in the lung can be removed using a catheter via the blood vessels. A catheter is also utilized to position a filter in the inferior vena cava. The filter is used to stop the clots from reaching the lungs from the legs. Filters are used mainly by individuals who cannot take anticoagulant drugs due to other complications. Other cases are when they have recurrent clots even after taking anticoagulants. The advantage of the filter is that it can be removed if it is no longer required. People need to continue with ongoing care even after treatment and remain on blood thinners to avoid the reoccurrence of a clot. Regular visits to the doctor after the end of the treatment are recommendable.