Severe Swine Flu Could Lead to Blood Clots in Lungs: Study
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 14 (HealthDay News) -- People who are severely ill with the H1N1 swine flu run the risk of blood clots in the lungs, University of Michigan researchers say.
And because standard chest X-rays may not be able to spot the potentially fatal condition, more sophisticated CT scans may be needed to identify the risk, the researchers said.
Technically called a pulmonary embolism, the condition occurs when one or more arteries in the lungs become blocked. Aggressive use of blood-thinning drugs can reduce the risk of death, the researchers said.
"The high incidence of pulmonary embolism is important. Radiologists have to be aware to look closely for the risks of pulmonary embolism in severely sick patients," study lead author Dr. Prachi P. Agarwal, assistant professor of radiology at the University of Michigan Medical School, said in a university news release.
"With the upcoming annual influenza season in the United States, knowledge of the radiologic features of H1N1 is important, as well as the virus's potential complications. The majority of patients with H1N1 that undergo chest X-rays have normal radiographs.
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A pulmonary embolism (PE) is a blood clot in the lung. It usually comes from smaller vessels in the leg, pelvis, arms, or heart. When a clot forms in the legs or arms, it is referred to as a deep venous thrombosis (DVT). The clot travels through the vessels of the lung continuing to reach smaller vessels until it becomes wedged in a vessel that is too small to allow it to continue farther. The clot gets wedged and prevents any further blood from traveling to that section of the lung. When no blood reaches a section of the lung, that portion of the lung suffers an infarct, meaning it dies because no blood or oxygen is reaching it. This is referred to as a pulmonary (or lung) infarct. That is why we should be careful not to have any swine flu because it might take away our life, even if we use our quick cash, due to complications.