There are many processes that are dangerous to the human body. One of them is embolism. This condition can not only harm normal life, but also lead to death. The most dangerous are pulmonary embolism (pulmonary embolism), as well as blockage of the vessels of the heart and brain. All these conditions lead to severe disorders and cause the death of patients. Embolism is a condition that is very difficult to diagnose, which is why doctors often do not notice this process. The consequences that it leads to, in most cases occur instantly, because of which first aid is not always possible to provide. The causes of embolism can be different, most often these are diseases of the cardiovascular and circulatory system, obesity. Sometimes this process occurs due to injuries.
What is embolism?
This pathological condition involves the closure of the lumen of a vessel by any substance that is carried through the body with a blood stream. Translated from Greek, “embolism” is “intrusion” or “insertion”. Vascular occlusion occurs regardless of which substance is in its lumen. Parts of a blood clot, air, drops of fat, and even amniotic fluid can serve as an embolus. All this interferes with normal blood flow, resulting in a lack of oxygen entering the body’s tissues - hypoxia. This process can lead to ischemia of any organ. The greatest danger is embolism of an artery supplying blood to the lungs, brain or heart. In addition, foreign substances can enter the lymphatic vessels, disrupting the outflow and leading to diseases. The consequences of this pathological condition depend on the caliber of the artery or vein, as well as on the size of the embolus itself. The cases are subject to treatment when the damaging particles are small or do not completely cover the lumen of the vessel.
Causes of Embolism
Depending on which substance is transported with the blood stream, several types of embolism are distinguished. Each of them, in turn, has a specific development mechanism and etiology. The most common is thromboembolism, which develops in people suffering from chronic heart failure, who have suffered myocardial infarction or cerebral hemorrhage (stroke). Most of all, this variety is affected by patients who have varicose veins of the lower extremities, hemorrhoids, atherosclerosis.
Another common pathological process is gas embolism. The reason for its appearance is a sharp change in pressure. The exogenous factors leading to embolism include injuries, as a result of which air, pieces of body tissues, drops of fat, fragments of bones get into the lumen of the vessels. More rare causes include cases where the substance leading to the narrowing of the lumen of the vessel becomes microbial particles, parasites, as well as cells of a decayed tumor.
What is amniotic fluid embolism?
This pathology is rare in obstetric practice. Amniotic fluid embolism is a dangerous condition and often fatal. The reasons for its occurrence can be: presentation or detachment of the placenta, improper development of the fetal membranes. Risk factors include polyhydramnios and a long labor process. Embolism can also occur during cesarean section. The mechanism of its development is the penetration of amniotic fluid into the maternal bloodstream. After this, the particles of amniotic waters (meconium, a cheese-like lubricant) enter the right atrium, and then into the pulmonary artery. As a result of this, amniotic fluid embolism develops according to the same mechanism as pulmonary embolism. The difference is that the blockage of the vessel occurs not with a detached blood clot, but with meconium elements or drops of fat.
The mechanism of development of gas embolism
Gas embolism is another cause of impaired blood flow through the vascular bed. This condition is an integral part of decompression sickness, which affects people spending time at high altitude or under water. The increase in pressure leads to a change in the gas composition of the blood, in particular to the accumulation of a large amount of nitrogen. Vascular embolism is observed if a person abruptly returns to baseline. As a result, the accumulated nitrogen enters the general bloodstream and is carried throughout the body. Normally, gas should be emitted lightly, but this process occurs gradually, it must be borne in mind when rising to a height and lowering deeply under water.
Vascular thromboembolism: causes
The most common cause of embolism is vascular thrombosis. They appear due to violations of the endothelium and blood coagulation system. Most of all, patients with varicose veins, heart disease are prone to thrombosis. The development of this type of embolism is often associated with heart attacks and strokes, since in such patients blood thickens due to rheological disorders. The mechanism of damage consists in the separation of thrombotic masses from the vessel wall. They act as an embolus. The detached part of the thrombus enters the bloodstream, closing the lumen and causing hypoxia.
The clinical picture with the development of embolism
The condition of the patient with embolism depends on in which vessel occlusion occurred. If it is the main arteries or veins, then the prognosis is most often unfavorable. The most dangerous are damage to the vessels of the heart, lungs, brain, neck. Embolism can cause a violation of the blood supply to any organ, the symptoms will depend on this. With damage to the vessels of the limbs, they become numb and cold, gangrene may develop. With embolism of the arteries of the heart or brain, a heart attack or stroke occurs, which is characterized by severe pain and impaired consciousness. With the development of pulmonary embolism, cough develops, sharp pains and suffocation, which often lead to death.
Principles for treating embolism
Any embolism is a condition that requires immediate treatment. Nevertheless, the approach to each type of this pathological process is the same. Treatment should be aimed at preventing the embolus from entering large vessels. For this purpose, arteries and veins are bandaged, as a result of which the blood flow in the affected area temporarily stops. In addition, they produce surgical removal of the damaging substance. Thrombosis and embolism, developing against their background, require medical treatment. For this purpose, drugs that promote blood thinning (Heparin) and fibrinolytics (Urokinase medication) are used. For the prevention of embolism, patients with cardiovascular pathologies need to use antiplatelet agents (the drug "Aspirin"), since they prevent the formation of blood clots.