What is a common symptom experienced by patients with Pulmonary Embolism related to breathing?

Dyspnea, or difficulty breathing, is indeed a common symptom experienced by patients with pulmonary embolism (PE). This occurs because a pulmonary embolism involves a blockage in one of the pulmonary arteries in the lungs, usually due to a blood clot. The obstruction reduces blood flow to the lung tissue, leading to inadequate oxygen exchange and causing the patient to experience shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing.

Patients may report a sudden onset of dyspnea, which is often accompanied by pleuritic chest pain, anxiety, and a feeling of impending doom. Other factors contributing to dyspnea in PE include the body's compensatory response to decreased oxygenation, resulting in an increased respiratory rate as the body attempts to compensate for lowered oxygen levels.

The other symptoms mentioned, while they may occur in various contexts, are not specifically characteristic of PE in relation to breathing. Increased fatigue can occur due to a range of medical conditions or even anxiety, headache can be linked to many other factors such as tension or dehydration, and chills may suggest an infection rather than a direct symptom of PE. Thus, the association of dyspnea with the pathophysiological effects of pulmonary embolism makes it the most relevant symptom in this case.