Deadliest Cough on Deadliest Catch

I watched Captain Phil of the Cornelia Marie, a crab boat in the Bering Sea that’s part of Discovery Channel’s exciting show, Deadliest Catch cough up blood the other night. Immediately, my Nurse Practitioner hat popped on as I thought about the long list of differential diagnosis that could be plaguing Phil.

First of all, a confession. Deadliest Catch is one of my favorite shows, partly because I grew up in Kodiak, Alaska. I am even on my way back to visit Alaska this week, because I love it so much! The Cornelia Marie is one of my favorite boats because its home port is, you guessed it…. Kodiak.

Back to Captain Phil
Hmmm, he’s a heavy smoker, with a smoker’s voice and cough and he sits for long periods of time, which can lead to clot formation. I re-wound the show to look at the x-ray a few times to try to figure out whether he had an infiltrate, a spot or something else. Hmmm, I’m not a radiologist, women’s health is my specialty, but I did think, with his symptoms, I wonder if he threw a clot. Pregnant women are also at risk for developing clots, so this is a good topic to explore.

Using the Power of TV for Good
Let’s learn about Pulmonary Embolism – PE

What happens:
• A clot (Thrombus) forms in a different part of the body, usually in a Deep Vein in the legs
• We call that a Deep Vein Thrombus – DVT
• The clot becomes dislodged and travels back to the heart
• The heart’s job is to pump blood from the veins to the lungs to pick up some oxygen and then send it through the arteries back to the body
• If there is a clot from the veins, it can get lodged in an artery in the lungs, is known as thromboembolism which is Not Good and can be DEADLY

Symptoms

• Difficulty breathing
• Chest pain when breathing
• Bloody cough
• Pain that may mimic an injury or pulled muscle
• Inability to breathe while lying down
• Feeling short of breath or that you can’t catch your breath
• Breathing rapidly

What to do

• Get to a hospital right away
• Call 911 if the person has collapsed or is in distress

What not to do:

• Wait and see if the symptoms improve, as this is DEADLY in about 75% of people

How it’s treated:

• Most people are given anti-coagulants to prevent more clots from forming
• Pain relief
• Oxygen
• Some people need surgery to remove the clot

How to prevent clots from forming:

• Try not to sit for long periods of time, get up and move around, especially when flying long distances
• Women who use Estrogen should also keep moving especially on long flights
• Stop smoking as smoking causes veins to constrict and aids in clot formation
• Get checked if you notice swelling, redness, and/or pain in your calfs or lower legs

I hope that Captain Phil is recovering and feeling back to normal again. His experience, while painful and difficult to watch on Deadliest Catch may help others get quick life-saving treatment. I hope he can get back to the activities he enjoys.