Coughs and Colds

Your heart history or your leg swelling makes it important for you to have a careful examination of your heart and circulation during any episode of cough or breathing symptoms. Heart failure is dangerous when it is not treated adequately.

New symptoms of leg swelling can also be caused by a blood clot in a deep vein of the leg. Breathing symptoms that occur at the same time as leg swelling from a clot can indicate that a portion of the blood clot has dislodged and traveled into the lung circulation. This life-threatening condition is called a "pulmonary embolus."

Please schedule an urgent appointment with your doctor.

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Online Medical Reviewer: McDonald, Thad, MD Date Last Reviewed: 5/4/2006 Date Last Modified: 3/30/2006 Source: from Harvard Health Decision Guides, Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.

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