OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of parameters derived from arterial blood gas tests in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. METHOD: We measured alveolar-arterial partial pressure of oxygen [P(A-a)O2] gradient, PaO2 and arterial partial pressure of carbon diaxide (PaCO2) in 773 consecutive patients with suspected pulmonary embolism who were enrolled in the Prospective Investigative Study of Acute...

The natural course of acute pulmonary embolism depends primarily on whether the embolism has been detected and treated [1-4]. The haemodynamic severity of acute pulmonary embolism largely depends on the previous state of the cardiopuLmonary system in patients without any previous cardiopulmonary di ease [1, 5], the degree of haemodynamic severity (e.g. that of pulmonary hypertension) depends ex...

We report two cases of septic pulmonary embolism associated with periodontitis. Chest CT revealed multiple nodular shadows with features characteristic of septic pulmonary embolism in both patients. Both patients had toothache, fever, and chest pain, and showed findings of periodontitis at initial presentation. Antimicrobial agents combined with dental surgery were successful in treatment. Whil...

Recent clinical studies have shed new light on the diagnosis of venous thromboembolism. Pulmonary embolism continues to be difficult to diagnose because the definitive test, pulmonary angiography, is complex and not widely available. However, new knowledge about ventilation perfusion lung scanning and non-invasive leg studies can help to reduce the need for pulmonary angiography. Furthermore, t...

Copyright © 2011 Massachusetts Medical Society. Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is defined as mean pulmonary-artery pressure greater than 25 mm Hg that persists 6 months after pulmonary embolism is diagnosed. The 2008 World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension1 emphasized the importance of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, which occurs in 2 to 4% of patients after acut...

Pulmonary embolism due to hydatid cysts is a very rare clinical entity. Hydatid pulmonary embolism can be distinguished from other causes of pulmonary embolism with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI especially displays the cystic nature of lesions better than CECT. Here we report a 45-year-old male patient with the pulmonary embolism due to r...

N E W O R L E A N S — The best predictors of in-hospital deterioration of patients diagnosed with acute pulmonary embolism in the emergency department are a shock index greater than 1 and a pulmonary embolism severity index score more than 100, according to data from the EMPEROR registry. The clinical implications: Calculate the pulmonary embolism severity index (PESI) and shock index routinely...

The management of patients with acute pulmonary embolism is made challenging by its wide spectrum of clinical presentation and outcome, which is mainly related to patient haemodynamic status and right ventricular overload. Mechanical embolic obstruction and neurohumorally mediated pulmonary vasoconstriction are responsible for right ventricular overload. The pathophysiology of acute pulmonary e...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Until recently, little was known about the long-term outcome of pulmonary embolism. Long-term mortality and recurrence rates, the case fatality rate of recurrent events, and the frequency of persistent vascular defects remained largely unknown. Improvements in our knowledge of these aspects may help to define the optimal long-term treatment of pulmonary embolism. This review w...

Pulmonary embolism is considered as a great masquerader due to its frequent nonspecific signs and symptoms. Typically pulmonary embolism is under-diagnosed or over-diagnosed. In this study a patient with pulmonary embolism is reported in which the patient exhibited two unusual manifestations namely; right upper quadrant abdominal pain and ST-T elevation in anterior precordial leads. Due to the ...