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pulmonary embolism
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pulmonary embolism

medical disorder
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Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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•History

pulmonary embolism, obstruction of a pulmonary artery or one of its branches. The pulmonary arteries carry blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs. A pulmonary embolism may be the result of a blood clot that has formed elsewhere, has broken loose, and has traveled through the circulatory system to the point of obstruction; or it may be due to some other obstruction, such as fat or a bubble of air.