Patient was educated on signs and symptoms of deep vein thrombosis as follows:
- Chest pain and SOB: The blood clot formed in the limb, if it were small enough, can travel up along the veins in the limb and get deposited in the pulmonary circulation. These blood clots deposited in the lung circulation are called pulmonary emboli. Deposition of the blood clot in the lung can result in sudden onset of chest pain, shortness of breath, and dry cough.
- Pulmonary hypertension: Persistent and unresolved pulmonary emboli can block or slow the blood flow in the pulmonary circulation, thus increasing the pressure and leading to pulmonary hypertension. Uncontrolled pulmonary hypertension can lead accumulation of fluid in the lungs, pulmonary edema, increased shortness of breath, poor gas exchange, reduced oxygen saturations, and increased effort of breathing.
- Right heart failure: Unresolved pulmonary hypertension over prolonged periods of time can even lead to elevation of pressure on right side of heart with right-sided heart failure.
