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Genoveva Casanova, ex-wife of Cayetano Martínez de Irujo, has suffered a pulmonary embolism, which has caused a stroke and pulmonary infarction, according to Hola. The magazine assures that Casanova went to the hospital because of severe back pain that did not subside, and that at first he attributed to a muscle contracture. She has been admitted to the Moncloa University Hospital in Madrid for eight days and is already recovering at home.
What is pulmonary embolism?
Pulmonary embolism is a type of venous thromboembolism (VTE), which occurs when thrombi form in the venous circulatory system that can be released into the general circulation, and reach the pulmonary arteries. This is explained by the Clínica Universidad de Navarra. The thrombus can develop in a blood vessel anywhere in the body, often in the leg. Its involvement is serious and can cause permanent damage to the affected lung or other organs by not receiving enough oxygen.
What are the symptoms?
The most common are shortness of breath, pain when breathing deeply, faster heart rate and acute chest pain, a symptom that according to the magazine was the one that made Genoveva Casanova go to the hospital. The less frequent manifestations are: cough, with or without blood, feeling anxious or fearful and feeling dizzy or faint, although, half of the people who have pulmonary embolism have no symptoms.
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LOC.
Genoveva Casanova suffers a pulmonary embolism that leads to a pulmonary infarction
- Editor: LOC
Genoveva Casanova suffers a pulmonary embolism that leads to a pulmonary infarction
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And the causes?
It usually occurs when part of the clot formed in the veins breaks off and travels through the bloodstream to other parts of the body. Thrombi are normally formed when blood stagnation is caused such as:
- Immobilization of any of the limbs due to surgeries or fractures.
- Postoperative.
- Prolonged bedriding.
- Presence of varicose veins.
- Situations with direct vein damage caused by surgery.
- Presence of intravenous catheters.
They can also facilitate the formation of thrombi, genetic alterations, some general diseases and the presence of cancer.
How is it diagnosed?
For diagnosis, thrombi must be located in the venous territory or emboli in pulmonary arteries. For this it may be necessary to perform some tests such as:
- The main test used is computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) that takes pictures of blood vessels and looks for blood clots in the lungs.
- Blood tests that measure substances in the blood that may be signs of a blood clot. These tests can be used as a first step in detecting signs of blood clots in otherwise healthy people. The doctor may also monitor blood oxygen levels as a low blood oxygen level may be a sign of a blood clot.
- The ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) study that measures airflow and blood flow in the lungs.
It should be completed with a study of the predisposing or facilitating factors of thrombus formation when the doctor suspects that there may be them. This may include hypercoagulability studies and, in some cases, searching for tumors using imaging techniques.
How is it treated?
The fundamental treatment is anticoagulant drugs with heparin or acenocoumarol, whose duration depends on the risk that the patient has for the formation of thrombi. When pulmonary embolism is chronic, which occurs more rarely, other treatments may also be required to lower lung pressure, including surgical treatment in some cases.
How can it be prevented?
Increasing the flow of deep veins with physical measures that favor it, such as raising the feet of the bed, early mobilization, as well as the different models of bandages, pneumatic compression and elastic stockings.
Pharmacological measures are indicated mainly in patients at high risk of venous thromboembolic disease (VTE). At present, it is administered subcutaneously with a heparin preparation.
The National Heart, Land and Blood Institute recommends a number of measures such as:
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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