embolus

(noun)

An obstruction causing an embolism: a blood clot, air bubble, or other matter carried by the blood stream and causing a blockage or occlusion of a blood vessel.

Related Terms

Examples of embolus in the following topics:

  • Cerebrovascular Accident

    • A thrombus itself (even if non-occluding) can lead to an embolic stroke if the thrombus breaks off, at which point it is called an "embolus."
    • An embolic stroke refers to the blockage of an artery by an arterial embolus, a travelling particle or debris in the arterial bloodstream originating from elsewhere.
    • An embolus is most frequently a thrombus, but it can also be a number of other substances including fat (e.g., from bone marrow in a broken bone), air, cancer cells, or clumps of bacteria (usually from infectious endocarditis).

  • Syncope

    • There are many other causes of syncope, including low blood sugar levels and lung disease such as emphysema and a pulmonary embolus.

  • Transient Ischemic Attacks

    • The most common cause of a TIA is an embolus that occludes an artery in the brain.