Here's a breakdown:
* Embolus: The actual mass of material that travels through the bloodstream. This can be a blood clot (thromboembolism), air bubbles (air embolism), fat globules (fat embolism), or other foreign objects.
* Embolism: The condition of having an embolus block a blood vessel.
The specific type of embolism depends on the composition of the embolus. For example:
* Pulmonary embolism (PE): A blood clot that travels to the lungs and blocks a pulmonary artery.
* Cerebral embolism: An embolus that travels to the brain and blocks a cerebral artery.
* Arterial embolism: An embolus that blocks an artery in the body.
* Venous embolism: An embolus that blocks a vein in the body.
