Pathophysiology

Pulmonary embolism is one of those topics that feels scary on an exam, but it gets a lot simpler once you understand the story behind it. So let's walk through it together, so you'll know exactly what test questions are really asking. Let's start with the big idea A pulmonary embolism (PE) happens when a blood clot travels to the lungs and blocks blood flow in the pulmonary arteries. What you need to keep in mind is that most of these clots do not start in the lungs. They usu