What is acute Pulmonary Embolism?
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a condition in which a blood clot forms – usually in the deep veins of the leg, groin or arm (deep vein thrombosis or DVT). When the clot travels in the circulation and lodges in the lungs, it is known as Pulmonary Embolism (PE).
Pulmonary Embolism is a condition where one or more clots break off and travel from existing venous clots in the arms or legs in the circulation, getting trapped in the lung, where they block the ability of blood to get to specific areas of the pulmonary arteries to receive oxygen. In intermediate-high risk or high-risk cases, this may lead to a strain on the heart's ability to pump blood through the lungs which can then lead to heart failure and/or cardiovascular collapse.
Pulmonary Embolism can be difficult to diagnose, as patients are frequently asymptomatic. In fact signs of DVT are only found in about a third of patients4.
Common symptoms of Pulmonary Embolism include
Diagnosis and treatment of Pulmonary Embolism
Professor Nils Kucher, Professor of Angiology and Director of the University Clinic of Angiology at the University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, talks about diagnosis and treatment for patients suffering from pulmonary embolism.
ESC guidelines for acute Pulmonary Embolism
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) adopted revised guidelines in 2019 to help physicians better diagnose and manage patients with acute Pulmonary Embolism.
Read more about diagnosis and the ESC guidelines.
Multidisciplinary teams can accelerate diagnosis of PE
Many hospitals are adopting Pulmonary Embolism Response Teams to more quickly diagnose patients with acute pulmonary embolism. These multi-disciplinary teams collaborate to identify intermediate-high and high-risk patients, and to reduce variations in care practices.
Learn more about the importance of Pulmonary Embolism response teams (PERT).
References:
1. Tapson, V.F., “Acute pulmonary embolism.” N Engl J Med, 2008; 358(10): 1037-52.
2. Sandler, D.A., et al., “Autopsy proven pulmonary embolism in hospital patients: are we detecting enough deep vein thrombosis?” J R Soc Med, 1989; 82: 203-5.
3. Huisman, M.V., et al., “Unexpected high prevalence of silent pulmonary embolism in patients with deep venous thrombosis.” Chest, 1989; 95(3): 498-502.
4. Chunilal SD, et al., “Does this patient have pulmonary embolism?” JAMA. 2003 Dec 3;290(21):2849-58
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