Smoking is a risk factor for pulmonary thromboembolism. A pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) describes a blood clot that has moved through the blood vessels, lodged in one of the pulmonary arteries, and has blocked blood flow into the portion of the lung served by that artery.
Symptoms
Pulmonary embolism symptoms can vary greatly, depending on how much of your lung is involved, the size of the clots, and whether you have underlying lung or heart disease.
Leg pain or swelling, or both, usually in the calf caused by a deep vein thrombosis.
Chest pain. You may feel like you’re having a heart attack. The pain is often sharp and felt when you breathe in deeply, often stopping you from being able to take a deep breath. It can also be felt when you cough, bend or stoop.
Excessive sweating
Shortness of breath. This symptom typically appears suddenly and always gets worse with exertion.
Cough. Coughing up bloody sputum.
Clammy or discolored skin (cyanosis)
Rapid or irregular heartbeat
Lightheadedness or dizziness.
Fever