Editing Medical-Surgical Nursing (section)

=== Pulmonary Embolism ===

A thrombus, usually from a deep vein thrombosis, occludes pulmonary arterial flow. Onset is sudden: dyspnea, pleuritic chest pain, tachypnea, tachycardia, anxiety, and sometimes hemoptysis or syncope. Massive embolism causes hypotension and cardiac arrest.

Nursing interventions: raise the head of the bed, give oxygen, notify the rapid response team or provider immediately, obtain intravenous access, and anticipate computed tomography pulmonary angiography, anticoagulation, and in severe cases thrombolysis or embolectomy. Prevention through early ambulation, sequential compression devices, and prophylactic anticoagulation is the highest-value nursing action.