Overall, a pulmonary embolism is a medical condition that is nothing to be taken lightly. Comprised of blood clots in the lungs, literally anyone, anywhere can become a victim of this condition. Tennis great Serena Williams developed this condition after giving birth to her daughter in 2017. Miami Heat star Chris Bosh was sidelined with the beginnings of this condition in 2015, and retired Portland Trailblazer NBA great Jerome Kersey died from one of these issues in 2015.

This all begs the question: who is the most likely to suffer from a pulmonary embolism? What are some conditions that will inevitably lead to this medical incident occurring? According to the Huffington Post, a pulmonary embolism is a blockage of the pulmonary arteries in the lungs that can lead to an individual passing away. To make matters worse, there are times when the clot will become enlarged where the arteries meet and then branch off. This is called a saddle embolus. Here are some factors you need to be aware of in order to keep this condition at bay. As always, early detection is critical if you want to prevent yourself from becoming a pulmonary embolism patient.

You have varicose veins.

Even though they can be unsightly, it can be tempting to just ignore varicose veins. However, this is unwise for a number of different reasons. First of all, your vein problems could cause you to have diminished blood flow. They also could cause blockages that could ultimately lead to an embolism. Thus, it is definitely important to get these checked in order to avoid this condition.

You are inactive or have a sedentary lifestyle.

An inactive lifestyle has been confirmed in study after study to contribute to having a pulmonary issue later on. Researchers studied those who sit for long periods of time at their jobs along with those who admitted they did not exercise as they should, and while it wasn’t a foregone conclusion, they determined that it did increase the odds of a pulmonary embolism.

You have had a recent injury or trauma to your veins.

When most people think of vein trauma, we usually think of a situation that is life-threatening. However, you would be surprised how many minor medical incidents can lead to vein trauma. For example, something as minor as an ankle sprain or pulled muscle can increase the likelihood of pulmonary embolism trouble later on simply because these types of injuries can wreak havoc on your veins.

You have an inherited condition such as a blood-clotting disorder or Factor V Leiden disease.

Factor V Leiden Syndrome is it condition that can increase your likelihood of developing blood clots. Does the Factor V mutation directly cause a pulmonary imminent embolism? Not necessarily, but it can lead to a domino effect. Those with Factor B are at an increased risk of developing deep vein thrombosis in their legs. In fact, people can have this condition in their legs and not even know it. This is one of the main reasons why you should trust your doctor when they order additional testing after a diagnosis of a blood clotting disorder. They realize that an individual with deep vein thrombosis can easily have a clot break off in their legs and travel to their lungs, leading to a pulmonary embolism.

You are a smoker.

Not to sound all preachy here, but yes, smoking can lead to a lot of health problems and this can definitely include an increased likelihood for a pulmonary embolism. This is because smoking can make your blood thicker, which leads to increased likelihood of clots and higher potential for an embolism.

The most important means of preventing a pulmonary embolism is to simply do your research. These are all just pointers. There are a number of other ways that a pulmonary embolism can develop. As with everything else in life, knowledge is definitely power.