Pulmonary Embolism Causes

Monday, 27 December 2010

Pulmonary embolism risk factors include:

  • sedentary lifestyle,

  • obesity,

  • prolonged immobility,

  • fracture of a long bone of the legs,

  • pregnancy,

  • cancer,

  • history or family history of blood clots,

  • irregular heartbeat (arrhythmias),

  • heart attack, or

  • congestive heart failure.
Women who use birth control pills and smoke cigarettes are at higher risk than women who have only one or neither of these risk factors (especially over the age of 35).