Pulmonary embolism is a blockage in the pulmonary arteries in your lungs.
Usually, a pulmonary embolism is caused when blood clots from the legs and sometimes other areas of the body (deep vein thrombosis) travel to the lungs.
A pulmonary embolism can reduce or block the blood flow to the lungs, becoming a life-threatening condition. With prompt and expert treatment, the chances of this condition resulting in death are greatly reduced.
One of the best ways to prevent a pulmonary embolism is to take adequate measures to prevent blood clots in your legs.