Document Detail


Acute pulmonary embolism: risk stratification.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  16855363     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The death rate from acute pulmonary embolism (PE) exceeds the mortality rate for acute myocardial infarction. Risk stratification helps optimize the selection of those patients who will benefit from more aggressive therapy, such as thrombolysis or embolectomy, in addition to anticoagulation. The classic paradigm was to observe patients deteriorate and to attempt to maintain acceptable hemodynamics by starting vasopressors. If hemodynamics failed to improve or if cardiogenic shock persisted, thrombolysis or surgical embolectomy was considered. Sadly, this "watch and wait" approach often resulted in irreversible cardiogenic shock and multisystem organ failure. The new approach hinges upon rapid and accurate risk stratification. There are four features of this strategy: 1) clinical evaluation, 2) bedside nonimaging tests-electrocardiography and pulse oximetry, 3) imaging tests-echocardiography and chest computed tomography,and 4) cardiac biomarkers-such as the troponin level. When high-risk patients are identified,they can be triaged for urgent or emergent therapy, usually prior to developing overt hypotension and cardiogenic shock.
Authors:
Samuel Z Goldhaber
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Review    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Pathophysiology of haemostasis and thrombosis     Volume:  35     ISSN:  1424-8832     ISO Abbreviation:  Pathophysiol. Haemost. Thromb.     Publication Date:  2006  
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2006-07-20     Completed Date:  2006-09-22     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101142710     Medline TA:  Pathophysiol Haemost Thromb     Country:  Switzerland    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  153-6     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. sgoldhaber@partners.org
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Acute Disease
Biological Markers / analysis
Diagnostic Imaging
Electrocardiography
Humans
Oximetry
Pulmonary Embolism / complications,  diagnosis*,  therapy
Risk Assessment
Triage / methods*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Biological Markers

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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