How long can an embolism take to kill a human?

Embolism can cause death in humans within minutes. It takes time, say weeks or months for a clot to build up in a part of the body, the moment it has dislodge from the site of attachment in the blood stream and travel to the blood vessels of the lungs. It can cause sudden death.

Pulmonary embolism is caused by a blockage of a major blood vessel (mostly the artery) caused by a large clot. This stops blood flow in the lungs. The most common cause of pulmonary embolism is Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), it a blood clot that forms in deep veins, especially in the legs.