Pulmonary thromboembolism is a common condition. Its diagnosis usually requires pulmonary scintigraphy, computed angiotomography, pulmonary arteriography and, in order to rule out other diagnoses, the measurement of D-dimer levels. Due to the fact that these diagnostic methods are not available in most Brazilian hospitals, the validation of other diagnostic techniques is of fundamental importan...

Acute pulmonary thromboembolism is a catastrophic event, especially for hospitalized patients. The prognosis of pulmonary thromboembolism depends on the degree of pulmonary arterial occlusion. The mortality of massive pulmonary embolism is reportedly as high as 25% without cardiopulmonary arrest and 65% with cardiopulmonary arrest. In patients with unstable hemodynamics due to pulmonary thrombo...

High incidence and mortality rate of pulmonary thromboembolism urge physicians to be aware of its occurrence and treatment. Pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) typically manifests itself with acute dyspnea and tachycardia and may occur along with deep vein thrombosis. However, syncope, chest pain and heart failure decompensation in previously stable patients might be another presenting signs and sym...

Pulmonary thromboembolism is a common condition. Its diagnosis usually requires pulmonary scintigraphy, computed angiotomography, pulmonary arteriography and, in order to rule out other diagnoses, the measurement of D-dimer levels. Due to the fact that these diagnostic methods are not available in most Brazilian hospitals, the validation of other diagnostic techniques is of fundamental importan...

Over a 13-year period we studied all patients who underwent major hip and knee surgery and were diagnosed with objectively confirmed symptomatic venous thromboembolism, either deep venous thrombosis or non-fatal pulmonary embolism, within six months after surgery. Low-molecular-weight heparin had been given while the patients were in hospital. There were 5607 patients. The cumulative incidence ...

Acute pulmonary thromboembolism is a common and life-threatening condition that requires prompt evaluation and management to improve outcomes. In severe cases, acute pulmonary thromboembolism causes a rapid rise in pulmonary pressures precipitating compromised right ventricular (RV) function. Acute elevation in pulmonary pressures with RV failure is associated with poor outcome. When pulmonary ...

The diagnosis of acute pulmonary thromboembolism is based on clinical probability, use of D-dimer (when available) and imaging. The main imaging modalities used in the diagnosis are ventilation-perfusion (V/Q), pulmonary angiography, and computed tomography (CT). In the last decade several studies have demonstrated that spiral CT has a high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of acute ...

Pulmonary embolism is the third most common cause of death from cardiovascular disease after heart attack and stroke. Sequelae occurring after venous thromboembolism include chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and post-thrombotic syndrome. Venous thromboembolism and atherothrombosis share common risk factors and the common pathophysiological characteristics of inflammation, hypercoagu...

Pulmonary tumor embolism rarely occurs in epithelial-derived tumors, but it has been described in different tumor entities. Microscopic pulmonary tumor embolisms are often only discovered on autopsy. Pulmonary thromboembolism, on the other hand, is a frequent complication in cancer patients, and surgery in patients with a malignant tumor is an additional risk factor. The differential diagnosis ...