“A pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blood clot that blocks the flow of blood to part of one lung. Many people with this condition have two or more clots in one or both lungs. Symptoms of a pulmonary embolism can vary as subtle to pronounced.  A pulmonary embolism is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition, but there are ways to help prevent it.

Because almost all pulmonary emboli originate from a DVT, and the risk factors and treatment of both are similar, doctors often use the umbrella term venous thromboembolic (VTE) disease to cover both conditions.

Thrombus occurs when a blood clot forms locally in a blood vessel and slows or blocks the flow of blood. There are two types of thrombosis: venous and arterial.

An embolus is any foreign substance that moves in your bloodstream until it blocks a blood vessel. An embolism is often caused when a thrombus or a piece of thrombus breaks off from where it formed and travels to another area of your body.

An embolism is a life-threatening condition and can cause serious complications such as stroke (clot in the brain) and pulmonary embolism (clot or blockage in the lung).

Pulmonary emboli affect about 900,000 people in the U.S. each year. They can happen to anyone at any stage of life, even very healthy people. Depending on the size of the clot and which blood vessels are blocked, a pulmonary embolism can be life-threatening.”

Harvard Health Publishing/Harvard Medical School (Pulmonary embolism: Symptoms, causes, risk factors, and treatment – Harvard Health)