Which symptom is most commonly associated with a pulmonary embolism?

Dyspnea, or shortness of breath, is the symptom most commonly associated with pulmonary embolism (PE). This condition occurs when a blood clot travels to the lungs and obstructs a pulmonary artery, which can cause a decrease in blood flow to lung tissue and subsequent impaired gas exchange. As a result, patients often experience sudden onset dyspnea, which can range from mild to severe, depending on the extent of the obstruction and the patient's overall health.

While pleuritic chest pain, hemoptysis, and calf pain can also be associated with pulmonary embolism, they are not as universally reported as dyspnea. Pleuritic chest pain occurs due to irritation of the pleura from the embolism but is less prevalent than dyspnea. Hemoptysis can occur in cases with associated lung tissue damage but is not a defining symptom of PE in the majority of cases. Calf pain may indicate deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which can lead to PE, but it is not a direct symptom of the embolism itself. Hence, dyspnea stands out as the most common and critical symptom in the clinical presentation of pulmonary embolism.