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Query: UMLS:C0034065 (pulmonary embolism)
 14,979 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We present a case of stroke in a young girl, preceded by a deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, both clinically asymptomatic, and accompanied by upper limb acute ischemia. Diagnosis of paradoxical embolism through a patent foramen ovale was made on clinical grounds and with contrast echocardiography. We discuss the main points leading to diagnosis, stressing the importance of contrast echocardiography. We also suggest that paradoxical embolism could be a more frequent cause of stroke than usually suspected.
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PMID:Stroke due to paradoxical embolism. 233 27

Cohorts of diabetic (n = 121) and non-diabetic (n = 584) patients were prospectively followed for up to ten years after having suffered from a stroke. All but six of the diabetic patients had Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus. The diabetic patients had more risk factors associated with stroke: heart failure (p less than 0.001) and angina pectoris (p less than 0.001), than the non-diabetic patients. Neither body mass index nor blood pressure levels differed between the groups at admission. Haematocrit levels were higher in the diabetic group (p less than 0.01). The diabetic patients were more commonly afflicted by cerebral embolism and to a lesser extent by transient ischaemic attacks than the non-diabetic patients. When calculated by log-rank tests, the diabetic group had an increased risk of death (p less than 0.001), recurrent stroke (p = 0.001), and of myocardial infarction (p = 0.001) after the initial stroke. Autopsy-verified causes of death between the groups did not differ significantly, although half of all deaths during the period one to six months after stroke were caused by pulmonary embolism in the diabetic group. Thus, diabetes increases the risk of death after a stroke, and it also increases among stroke survivors the risk of recurrent stroke and myocardial infarction.
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PMID:Prognosis after stroke in diabetic patients. A controlled prospective study. 234 37

Studies on community acquired pneumonia in the United States in patients over the age of 65 years have shown that Gram negative bacilli account for an appreciable proportion of cases, in addition to usual pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. There have been no reports of community acquired pneumonia in the elderly in the United Kingdom. We undertook such a study to determine the clinical features, aetiology, and outcome. Seventy three patients (38 men) with ages ranging from 65 to 97 (median 79) years were studied prospectively. Pneumonia was defined as an acute lower respiratory tract infection with new, previously unrecorded shadowing on a chest radiograph. Patients with severe chronic illness in whom pneumonia was an expected terminal event were excluded. Nearly all the patients (96%) had respiratory symptoms or signs but many had features that might obscure the true diagnosis of pneumonia. Over half the patients had non-respiratory symptoms and over a third had no systemic signs of infection. A pathogen was identified in 43% of patients, most commonly Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and influenza B virus. Gram negative bacilli were not seen. The mortality rate was high (33%). Early deaths were due to infection whereas later deaths were associated with other factors, such as stroke (two patients) and pulmonary embolism (two patients). Prognostic indicators for mortality were apyrexia, systolic hypotension, increasing hypoxaemia, and new urinary incontinence. As the range of pathogens causing pneumonia was the same in the elderly in this study as in other age groups it is suggested that initial antibiotic treatment for patients in this age group should always cover S pneumoniae and H influenzae.
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PMID:A hospital study of community acquired pneumonia in the elderly. 235 52

Acute fatal pulmonary embolism is one cause of sudden death which should be guarded against. It is the most often missed diagnosis in sudden death cases within the hospital. Clinical pictures of 10 patients with acute fatal pulmonary embolism proved by autopsy were examined to elucidate the problems of diagnosis, and to look for an effective treatment, and a method of prevention. Common risk factors were old age and immobility due to stroke or postoperative state. Common past histories were hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, atrial fibrillation and hyperlipidemia. Electrocardiogram and echocardiogram showed that in these patients there was definite evidence of acute right ventricular overload. High doses of intravenous urokinase should be given whenever acute cardiovascular collapse develops in such high risk patients. Emergent pulmonary angiogram and pulmonary embolectomy could be life-saving in patients with acute massive pulmonary embolism. Prevention is, however, the best treatment. In addition to anticoagulation medication, frequent change of body position and early mobilization are important precautions to prevent fatal pulmonary embolism developing in such patients.
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PMID:[Acute fatal pulmonary embolism: its prevention, diagnosis and treatment]. 236 72

Pulmonary embolism may cause pulmonary hypertension by mechanical obstruction, which might be amplified by vasoconstriction induced by serotonin released from the emboli. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether 5-HT2-receptors are involved in serotonin-induced pulmonary hypertension. Ketanserin was used as 5-HT2-serotonergic antagonist. In nine anesthetized mongrel dogs, the effect of serotonin infusions (10, 50, 100 micrograms/kg . min) on mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), cardiac output (CO), stroke volume (SV), cardiac contractility (dP/dtmax), heart rate (HR), and mean aortic pressure (PAO) was studied with and without treatment by ketanserin (20 and 100 micrograms/kg). Serotonin caused dose-dependent increase in PAP, PVR, CO, SV, and dP/dtmax. A dose of 20 micrograms/kg ketanserin did not affect hemodynamics significantly, whereas 100 micrograms/kg of the compound significantly reduced PAO, TPR, and left ventricular dP/dtmax. The serotonin-induced increases in PAP, PVR, dP/dtmax, CO, and SV were reduced significantly by 100 micrograms/kg ketanserin; the lower dose of ketanserin had only a slight blocking effect. Ketanserin blocks serotonin-induced pulmonary vasoconstriction partly, but it seems also to antagonize the positive inotropic effect of the monoamine.
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PMID:Effects of serotonin on the cardiopulmonary circulatory system with and without 5-HT2-receptor blockade by ketanserin. 241 62

A predisposition to thrombosis in patients with procainamide-induced lupus anticoagulants is previously unrecognized. We describe two patients treated with procainamide who experienced acute thromboembolic events temporally associated with development of the lupus anticoagulant. One patient had a deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, while the other patient had a cerebrovascular accident. In both patients, coagulation parameters corrected with interruption of procainamide therapy. We suggest that thrombosis may complicate treatment with procainamide in patients who develop the lupus anticoagulant.
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PMID:Thrombosis associated with procainamide-induced lupus anticoagulant. 250 75

Thrombolytic therapy offers the promise of major therapeutic intervention in many areas as well as in the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction who present to the emergency department. Infusion of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) during field transport has been proven safe, but optimal methods for reliably diagnosing acute myocardial infarction in the prehospital setting have yet to be delineated. A major advance would be achieved if thrombolysis were proven effective in preventing the progression of unstable angina to actual infarction. However, early studies have yielded contradictory results. The use of tPA in dissolving peripheral arterial clots appears very promising, but long-term limb survival has yet to be demonstrated. Unlike heparin, thrombolytic agents can also lyse clot in peripheral deep veins and possibly lessen the tendency toward postphlebitic syndrome. The proper dosage regimen to minimize hemorrhage has not been determined. Pulmonary emboli can be lysed by tPA. IV infusion is as effective as intrapulmonary. Significant complications can be minimized, particularly if major vessel catheterization can be avoided for diagnosis. Even after catheterization for pulmonary angiography, however, thrombolytic therapy appears quite promising. The use of thrombolytic agents for embolic-thrombotic stroke is less promising: therefore, the risk of hemorrhagic complication may not outweigh the potential benefit. Thrombolytic therapy thus offers the potential for significant impact on the practice of emergency medicine.
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PMID:Future role of thrombolytic therapy in emergency medicine. 251 90

In this review of cardiovascular effects of oral contraceptives (OCs), the risks are identified from 2 prospective cohort studies as 19/10,000 woman years for the risk of thrombosis or thromboembolism. 11 of 19 were superficial thrombosis and 8 were deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. For women with no risk factors, the risk was 2.0 for superficial thrombosis and 4.0 for deep vein thrombosis. Myocardial infarction (MI) risk is estimated at 7/100,000 current users/year for women 30-39 years and 67/100,000/year for women 40-44 years based on combined British and American studies. 37/100,000/year is the estimated risk for women 30-44 years for either thrombotic or hemorrhagic stroke. 50% of the MIs and 10% of the strokes were fatal. The total annual risk of death from any circulatory disease was estimated at 22-24 deaths/100,000 women years based on 2 British cohort studies. Other predisposing factors also contribute to cardiovascular disease, and separating out the effects has been controversial. In 1985, a study refuted that OCs were responsible for any effect on cardiovascular risk, because of flawed case control studies. One such study is cited which shows that only 16.7% of OC users were confirmed by Doppler ultrasound for deep vein thrombosis compared with 30.7% for nonusers. The general trend in the UK is one of reduced death rates from circulatory disease for women in spite of widespread contraceptive use. This relationship between OC use and cardiovascular disease was evidenced in another study of vital statistics from 21 countries. The pathological mechanisms for the association between OC use and vascular disease are discussed for blood clotting with the importance of predisposing factors highlighted, MI and lipid metabolism and other risk factors, stroke, and breakthrough bleeding. The risk is very low for vascular disease with available low- dose preparations. Risk is further reduced with careful screening of high risk women. The side effects of low-dose pills such as breakthrough bleeding can be treated with cautious use of alternative high-dose formulations and patient education. Low-dose OCs with 30-35 mg of estrogen combined with a low-dose and low androgenic progestin are recommended.
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PMID:Cardiovascular effects of oral contraceptives: a review. 257 58

Twenty-five patients older than 60 years of age underwent cardiac transplantation using an immunosuppression protocol with cyclosporin and azathioprine, but without routine use of oral steroids. There were 24 men and 1 woman (age range 60 to 69 years, mean 63). The etiology of heart disease was coronary artery disease in 21 and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in 4. Six patients had previous coronary artery bypass operations, 1 had undergone repair of an abdominal aneurysm and 1 had pulmonary embolism. Sixteen patients were in New York Heart Association class IV and 9 in class III. Donor mean age was 30 (14 to 46) years. Hospital stay after transplantation was 10 to 90 days (median 11). Four died within 30 days and none from 5 to 59 months (mean 22). The 1-year actuarial survival was 84%. The incidence of rejection was 2.16 episodes per patient. Only 1 patient (4%) had serious infection. Six patients received antihypertensive treatment, 3 had reversible impairment of renal function, 2 had gout and 1 had drop foot. No patient had convulsions, transient ischemic attack or cerebrovascular accident. None had significant psychological problems. The 21 patients currently alive are in New York Heart Association class I. Quality of life, assessed by the Nottingham Health Profile, showed marked improvement. It is concluded that the initial results of cardiac transplantation in the seventh decade of life are encouraging.
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PMID:Cardiac transplantation in the seventh decade of life. 264 67

Clinical experience with thrombolytics in non-coronary disorders is limited to the plasminogen activators streptokinase, urokinase and alteplase; therapeutic trials with anistreplase (APSAC) are almost, and with saruplase completely, limited to acute myocardial infarction. In terms of thrombus clearance, thrombolytic drugs are superior to heparin in patients with recent deep vein thrombosis in the pelvis or lower limbs. In aggregate, thrombi younger than 8 days are lysed in approximately 60% of patients treated with streptokinase, urokinase or alteplase. The results of studies assessing the subsequent development of the postphlebitic syndrome are conflicting, but most suggest that thrombolytic therapy can reduce symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency. Currently, the combination of systemic thrombolytic drugs followed by heparin is recommended for patients with acute major pulmonary embolism who are haemodynamically unstable. Streptokinase, urokinase and alteplase have all been shown to accelerate the lysis of pulmonary emboli and to decrease pulmonary vascular obstruction and pulmonary hypertension. Systemic venous or intrapulmonary infusions of alteplase offers the same benefit in terms of angiographic and haemodynamic improvement. A short infusion of 100 mg alteplase over 2 hours seems to be superior to a 24-hour infusion of urokinase. None of the thrombolytic trials in pulmonary embolism have been large enough to demonstrate a reduction in mortality. It is now generally accepted that, unless contraindicated, thrombolytic therapy is the front-line treatment for patients with massive pulmonary embolism and major haemodynamic disturbance. The local treatment of acute arterial occlusion in limb arteries results in rapid clearing of the artery in 67% of patients treated with streptokinase; the corresponding success rates for urokinase and alteplase are 81% and 88 to 94%, respectively. The main question appears to be the identification of patients in whom local thrombolysis is the treatment of choice, as opposed to established therapeutic modalities. Thrombolytic treatment following a major ischaemic stroke is hazardous, although clinical improvement has been noted in a minority of patients with recanalised cerebral arteries. The safety and efficacy of thrombolytic treatment remains unproven for this indication, and its use must be restricted to experimental protocols. Thrombolytic treatment in retinal artery or vein occlusion has, in practice, been abandoned.
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PMID:Use of thrombolytic drugs in non-coronary disorders. 268 38


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