Arrhythmia
It is the clinical name given to the condition in which the heart has an abnormal rhythm or no rhythm at all. An arrhythmia may be caused by several reasons, and one of them is an accelerated heartbeat. When patients susceptible to an arrhythmia have a pulmonary embolism, it is very likely that their heartbeat starts to increase and this, in turn, affects the normal rhythm of the heart.
There are many types and subtypes of arrhythmia, and the one that affects patients with a pulmonary embolism depends on the integrity of the electrical system of the heart. Pulmonary embolism, in general, would increase the heart activity, especially on the right side of the heart, which usually triggers an arrhythmia in this area, and sometimes atrial fibrillation.
Sometimes, in the event of atrial fibrillation, it is difficult to determine which one came first, because atrial fibrillation is a totally abnormal movement of the heart that often causes many clots inside the heart. These clots could travel through the pulmonary artery to reach the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism.
Note that 10% of pulmonary embolisms are fatal during the first hour, which is one of the reasons why you should act quickly and without hesitation looking for urgent medical assistance if you suspect pulmonary embolism by encountering the symptoms we described above. Remember the most important symptoms are respiratory symptoms and those associated with impaired oxygenation, and not every patient would display distressing signs with a sudden onset.
When a physician is suspecting a pulmonary embolism, he would order a number of lab tests such as a white blood cell count, troponin levels, blood oxygen and CO2 levels. When it is already confirmed, they should check for your coagulation levels and may need additional imaging studies to detect the extension of the damage. This should be performed readily because a high number of patients would not survive the first hours. Thus, do not delay looking for medical attention if you suspect a pulmonary embolism, especially if you have an underlying problem in your blood clotting.
