What percentage of deaths are caused by blood clots in the lungs?

An estimated 60,000 to 100,000 Americans die each year from deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism (DVT/PE), according to the Center for Disease Control. Ten to 30 percent of deaths occur within one month of prognosis; 25 percent of PE cases are instantly fatal, adds the CDC.

An estimated 300,000 to 600,000 individuals are affected each year by one of the two conditions.

Pulmonary embolism refers to the sudden blockage of a major artery in the lung. It is almost always occurs in conjunction with deep vein thrombosis, the formation of blood clots in other parts of the body -often within a deep vein of the legs.