Pulmonary embolism: an internist's perspective.
Forty years ago there was less interest in thromboembolism than there is now, although it was apparent even at that time that many episodes of embolization were being missed. Retrospective autopsy studies had indicated a 40% to 60% incidence of pulmonary emboli. Such studies were reviewed in a prospective study of 263 right lungs taken from every fourth autopsy performed on patients older than 10 years of age who died in United Oxford Hospitals from 1964 to 1965. Pulmonary emboli were present in 136 autopsies (51.7%) and were judged to be the main cause of death in 37 of those with emboli (27%). This high incidence of embolization was certainly not fully appreciated in the 1940s and 1950s, nor was the frequent absence of clinical signs in these cases.
Nicholson
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Department of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock 72205.
D006801:Humans; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*