Pulmonary Embolism

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Before Kayla’s passing, we were uninformed and didn’t know much about Pulmonary Embolisms. Please use the information below as a resource and do your own research to learn more about this problem that tragically took Kayla from us.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the precise number of people affected by DVT/PE is unknown, but estimates range from 300,000 to 600,000 (1 to 2 per 1,000, and in those over 80 years of age, as high as 1 in 100) each year in the United States.

  • Estimates suggest that 60,000-100,000 Americans die of DVT/PE (also called venous thromboembolism).
    • 10 to 30% of people will die within one month of diagnosis.
    • Sudden death is the first symptom in about one-quarter (25%) of people who have a PE.
  • Among people who have had a DVT, one-half will have long-term complications (post-thrombotic syndrome) such as swelling, pain, discoloration, and scaling in the affected limb.
  • One-third (about 33%) of people with DVT/PE will have a recurrence within 10 years.
  • Approximately 5 to 8% of the U.S. population has one of several genetic risk factors, also known as inherited thrombophilias in which a genetic defect can be identified that increases the risk for thrombosis.

A few additional resources:

Basic understanding of Pulmonary Embolism

Clot Connect

March 20, 1993 – July 29, 2014