• MedStar Heart and Vascular Institute
  • Doctors
  • Appointments
  • Conditions & Treatments
  • Locations
  • Search
  • Menu
Don’t delay your care! Call 888-354-3422 to schedule a video visit with a specialist today!

Find a doctor or specialist that meet your needs

Need Help? Email [email protected]

Close Menu
    • Find a Doctor
    • Find a Location
    • Request an Appointment
 

Newsroom

For Patients

  • Conditions & Treatments
  • Programs and Services
  • Patient Resources
  • Why Choose Us
  • Ways to Give

For Medical Professionals

  • Careers
  • Educational Opportunities
  • Publications and Case Studies
  • Research
arrow_back Conditions & Treatments

Pulmonary Embolism Treatment

Call for an appointment or referral
888-354-3422

email Email a Question
menu Pulmonary Embolism Treatment
  • Overview
    • Conditions
    • Tests
    • Physicians
    • Locations
  • Overview arrow_forward
  • Conditions arrow_forward
  • Tests arrow_forward
  • Physicians arrow_forward
  • Locations arrow_forward

Medications and procedures to treat a blood clot in the lungs

Expert Heart & Vascular Care

Getting the care you need starts with seeing one of our heart or vascular specialists.

Request an Appointment

Several types of venous disease can cause blood clots to form. These clots can break loose and travel to your lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism (PE), a potentially dangerous condition that requires immediate medical care.

Our doctors in MHVI are experts in treating this condition.

Medications

In many cases, a pulmonary embolism can be treated with medication to help dissolve clots and prevent new ones from forming.

  • Blood thinners (anticoagulants): These drugs reduce the blood’s ability to clot. Some common anticoagulants include heparin, warfarin and fondaparinux.
  • Thrombolysis: This drug therapy is used to dissolve a blood clot by injecting blood thinning medications directly into it. This treatment may be combined with a procedure to physically remove the clot with a catheter.

Surgery and minimally invasive procedures

If medication is not effective to dissolve or prevent clots, or the pulmonary embolism is life-threatening, your doctor may recommend:

  • Clot removal: If the clot is large, you may need a procedure to remove it. This may be done through a thin, flexible tube known as a catheter that is inserted through a small incision and guided through your blood vessels to the blood clot
  • Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters: If you are at risk for blood clots, your doctor can place a small, wiry device in the large vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the lower body back to the heart. This filter allows blood to flow past it while trapping clots before they reach the heart and lungs.
  • Surgery: This may be required to remove clots as a lifesaving procedure

Conditions

Pulmonary Embolism

A pulmonary embolism is a blockage in one of the lungs’ arteries. It’s usually caused by a deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot in the legs or arms that travels to the lungs.

Tests

Arterial Duplex Ultrasound for Arms and Legs

Arterial duplex ultrasound uses Doppler and traditional ultrasound to assess blood flow in the arteries of your arms and legs.

Chest X-ray

Chest X-rays use a small dose of radiation to create pictures of the structures inside the chest, including the lungs, heart and chest wall.

Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan

The cardiac computed tomography scan, or cardiac CT, uses X-rays to create three-dimensional images of your heart and blood vessels.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Magnetic resonance imaging, better known as cardiac MRI, is a combination of radio waves, magnets and computer technology to create images of your heart and blood vessels.

Physicians

View all arrow_forward
9 Doctors & Specialists
Dr. Preetham N. Kumar, MD
Dr. Preetham N. Kumar, MD
Cardiology | Cardiac Imaging
(85)
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite NW Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7777
View Profile
Schedule Appointment
Dr. Federico Miguel Asch, MD
Dr. Federico Miguel Asch, MD
Cardiac Imaging
110 Irving Street Northwest Room 4B-42 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-4616
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Gaby Weissman, MD
Dr. Gaby Weissman, MD
Valvular Disease Cardiology | Structural Heart Disease Cardiology | Cardiac Imaging
(86)
110 Irving Street Northwest Department of Cardiology Suite 6015 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7777
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Ana Barac, MD
Dr. Ana Barac, MD
Cardio-Oncology
(201)
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite NW Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7777
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Tolulope Adesiyun Agunbiade, MD
Dr. Tolulope Adesiyun Agunbiade, MD
Cardio-Oncology | Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology
3001 South Hanover Street Baltimore, MD 21225
(410) 554-6550
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Jared Michael Widell, MD
Dr. Jared Michael Widell, MD
Cardiology | Cardiac Imaging
5601 Loch Raven Boulevard Building 2 Baltimore, MD 21239
(202) 877-6264 or (202) 444-8833
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Patrick T. Bering, MD
Dr. Patrick T. Bering, MD
Cardiology | Cardiac Imaging
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite NW Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7777
View Profile
Request Appointment
Dr. Andrew Weidner Ertel, MD
Dr. Andrew Weidner Ertel, MD
Valvular Disease Cardiology | Cardiology | Structural Heart Disease Cardiology | Cardiac Imaging
(131)
110 Irving Street Northwest Suite NW Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7777
View Profile
Schedule Appointment
Dr. Andrew Y. Chen, MD
Dr. Andrew Y. Chen, MD
Cardiology | Cardiac Imaging
110 Irving Street Northwest Room 1105 Washington, DC 20010
(202) 877-7777
View Profile
Request Appointment
loading

Locations

View all arrow_forward
9 locations found
MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital
5601 Loch Raven Boulevard GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPTIAL Baltimore, MD 21239
(443) 444-4100
View Location
Get Directions
MedStar Union Memorial Hospital
201 East University Parkway Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 554-2266
View Location
Get Directions
MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center
9000 Franklin Square Drive Baltimore, MD 21237
(443) 777-7900
View Location
Get Directions
MedStar St. Mary's Hospital
25500 Point Lookout Road MedStar St Mary's Hospital Leonardtown, MD 20650
(301) 475-8981
View Location
Get Directions
MedStar Harbor Hospital
3001 South Hanover Street Baltimore, MD 21225
(410) 350-3200
View Location
Get Directions
MedStar Washington Hospital Center
110 Irving Street Northwest Washington, DC 20010
202-877-3627
View Location
Get Directions
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
3800 Reservoir Road Northwest MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Washington, DC 20007
(202) 342-2400
View Location
Get Directions
MedStar Montgomery Medical Center
18101 Prince Philip Drive MedStar Montgomery Medical Center Olney, MD 20832
(301) 570-7404
View Location
Get Directions
MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center
7503 Surratts Road MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center Clinton, MD 20735
(301) 877-4367
View Location
Get Directions
loading
Download our Cardiovascular Performance & Outcomes Booklet!
Download
  • Find a Doctor 
  • Find a Location location_on
  • Request an Appointment today
  • myMedStar lock
  • Don't Show Again Close close
     
     Don't show this to me again
     
    Top vertical_align_top   Quick Tools
     

    MEDSTARHEALTH.ORG

    Request an Appointment
    Call for an appointment or referral
    888-354-3422
    Patients & Visitors
    • Patients & Visitors
      • Doctors
      • Locations
      • Programs and Services
      • Conditions & Treatments
      • myMedStar
      • Patient Resources
      • Patient Stories
      • About Us
      • Why Choose Us
    Medical Professionals
    • Medical Professionals
      • Careers
      • Educational Opportunities
      • Resources
    Research & Resources
    • Research & Resources
      • Cleveland Clinic Alliance
      • Clinical Trials Research
      • Innovations
      • Resources
      • Research and Innovations
    Ways to Give Back
    • Give Back
    Stay Connected

    Stay Connected

    Ride With Uber | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Feedback © 2019 MEDSTAR HEALTH