RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Update in the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolism for the non-respiratory physician
JF Clinical Medicine
JO Clin Med
FD Royal College of Physicians
SP e591
OP e597
DO 10.7861/clinmed.2021-0666
VO 21
IS 6
A1 Sheila Ramjug
A1 Gerrard Phillips
YR 2021
UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/21/6/e591.abstract
AB An increasingly common scenario on the acute medical take is that of ‘possible pulmonary embolism’. The aim of this article is to update the reader about the available clinical decision tools that can help to avoid the over investigation of such patients, as well as other tools that can support an outpatient management strategy in appropriate patient groups. The importance of risk stratification methodologies in acute pulmonary embolism management is emphasised. We address the evidence on the long-term risk of venous thromboembolism recurrence and show how this can be used to make decisions about duration of anticoagulation. Finally, we discuss a number of special scenarios, including the implications of incidentally discovered isolated subsegmental pulmonary embolus and the management of pulmonary embolus in malignancy and pregnancy.