It is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases in the United States. Pulmonary embolism affects around 1 in 1,000 people in the U.S. every year. The blockage, usually a blood clot, prevents oxygen from reaching the tissues of the lungs.

What is the survival rate of a pulmonary embolism?

A pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blood clot in the lungs, which can be serious and potentially lead to death. When left untreated, the mortality rate is up to 30% but when treated early, the mortality rate is 8%. Acute onset of pulmonary embolism can cause people to die suddenly 10% of the time.

What is the most common cause of pulmonary embolism?

This is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Once a clot has formed in the deep veins of the leg, there is a potential for part of the clot to break off and travel through the blood to another area of the body, often the lung. DVT is the most common cause of a pulmonary embolism.