Pulmonary Embolism
Patients at risk of suffering a pulmonary embolism should be detected during a screening process and be prescribed preventative medication.
If a patient does develop a pulmonary embolism, the problem must be quickly diagnosed and treated.
Any fall in the standard of medical care could have devastating consequences. This could result in a successful medical compensation claim. For more information on pulmonary embolism claims, please contact our expert team of lawyers.
Preventing a pulmonary embolism
A pulmonary embolism is when the pulmonary artery in the lung becomes blocked. Ordinarily this will be due to a blood clot that has travelled to the lungs in the bloodstream.
Pulmonary embolisms are therefore closely linked to Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), which is when a blood clot develops in a deep vein in the leg. This clot can 'break away' and travel around the body in the bloodstream, becoming stuck in the lung.
Certain people will be at risk of developing DVT, and in turn a pulmonary embolism. This includes both long-term and short-term risk factors, including:
- Immobility due to a stroke, medical condition, obesity or recent surgery
- Damaged blood vessels
- Conditions/medication/medical treatments that make the blood clot easily, such as thrombophilia, the contraceptive pill and chemotherapy
- Old age
- Pregnancy
- Smoking
If you are at risk of developing a blood clot, this should be identified by your GP or healthcare team. For those at risk due to lifestyle factors such as obesity and smoking, a GP may prescribe anticoagulants. For those at risk because of a stroke or surgical procedure, an assessment should be made upon the patient's admission and treatment provided during their stay in hospital. This may include anticoagulants and compression stockings.
Failure to prevent pulmonary embolism
If the patient is not correctly identified as being at risk of a DVT and pulmonary embolism, and he/she goes on to suffer adverse consequences from a clot, there could be a case of medical negligence.
Furthermore, there could be grounds for a claim if a pulmonary embolism is not diagnosed and treated in time. Pulmonary embolisms can be fatal if left untreated. They can also lead to ongoing health complications, such as chronic pulmonary hypertension.
Want to know more?
If medical practitioners fail to prevent, diagnose or treat a pulmonary embolism, there could be a case of medical negligence. If this has happened to you or your loved one, please get in touch with us at Glynns Solicitors to find out more.
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To find out more about making a medical negligence claim, please get in touch with our team today. We will advise whether or not you are eligible to pursue a claim for compensation. If so, we can help you get the financial redress you deserve.
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