Principles of Critical Care > Part III. Cardiovascular Disorders > Chapter 27. Pulmonary Embolic Disorders: Thrombus, Air, and Fat Nuala J. Meyer,  Gregory A. Schmidt

Key Points

"This chapter will cover diseases involving embolism to the pulmonary circulation, including pulmonary thromboembolism, as well as the less common conditions of venous air embolism and fat embolism. Thromboembolism is predominantly an acute circulatory insult, with important but less dramatic consequences for gas exchange. In contrast, both air and fat embolism usually present as acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF). All three of these forms of embolism may cause acute right heart failure, which is more fully discussed in Chap. 26...."