![]() ![]() Many patients have only mild or nonspecific symptoms and asymptomatic PE is sometimes seen on computed tomography (CT) scanning. Symptoms of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), including leg swelling or pain, may be present. The most common presenting symptom is dyspnea, followed by symptoms of pulmonary infarction, including pleuritic pain, cough, and, less commonly, hemoptysis. Symptom onset is typically rapid (minutes to hours) but can develop over days or weeks. The clinical spectrum ranges from asymptomatic individuals to those presenting with syncope, shock, or sudden death. Careful clinical assessment must include appropriate risk stratification since this will influence both diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making. RV dysfunction is characterized by RV dilation, hypokinesis, or elevation of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) myocardial necrosis is suggested by elevated troponin. Submassive (or intermediate-risk) PE refers to those patients with acute PE without systemic hypotension but with evidence of either right ventricle (RV) dysfunction or myocardial necrosis. 1 Massive (or high-risk) PE is a term used to designate patients with sustained hypotension (systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg for at least 15 minutes or requiring inotropic support, not due to a cause other than PE), pulselessness, or persistent profound bradycardia. 1 There is a wide spectrum of clinical severity with mortality estimates of 1–2 % in stable individuals and up to 30 % in patients presenting with hemodynamic instability. The incidence is estimated to be 50 per 100,000 but increases to 500 per 100,000 in the elderly. Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common and serious manifestation of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the US. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |