[Life expectancy after lung embolism]

The prognosis of pulmonary embolism depends chiefly on three conditions, the amount of pulmonary arterial obstruction, the cardio-pulmonary state and tolerance and haemostatic factors. Whereas a single, even massive pulmonary embolism as a rule does not lead to chronic morbidity, repeated though minor emboli may be followed by pulmonary hypertension with eventual right heart failure so that the long term prognosis rests upon the probability of further thrombotic events.