Exam 1 Review:  Chapter 17:  Embolus

embolus - Any inappropriate mass of material, a clot of blood, fat, air, amniotic fluid, tumor fragment or some other substance which travels through the bloodstream, lodging in the small vessels as soon as it reaches a point where the vessel diameter is smaller than the diameter of the mass of material.

thromboembolus - A clot of blood, which becomes dislodged from its site of origin and travels through the bloodstream, lodging in the small vessels as soon as it reaches a point where the vessel diameter is smaller than the diameter of the mass of material.

pulmonary embolism - A blockage of a pulmonary artery or any of its branches by foreign matter or by a blood clot (usually from a vein in the leg or pelvic area); the embolism causes damage to the lung tissue, disrupts respiratory function, and may be rapidly fatal; symptoms include sudden feelings of breathlessness, chest pain upon inhalation, feeling faint, rapid pulse, and coughing up blood-stained phlegm.

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