[Management of pulmonary embolism in a cardiology department].
OBJECTIVE
The objective of our work is to study the clinical features and the management of pulmonary embolism in a cardiology department.


METHODS
It is a retrospective study including 43 patients between 1993 and 2003 in the cardiology department of a Tunisian hospital for acute pulmonary embolism.


RESULTS
The most common clinical signs were dyspnea, pleural pain and deep venous thrombosis. The most common physical signs were tachypnea and tachycardia. Electrocardiographic abnormalities were found in 38 patients (88.4%). Chest X-ray was abnormal in 25 patients (60.5%). The arterial blood gas found hypoxia and\or hypocapnia in 95% of cases. D-dimer was high in almost totality of patients (96%). US doppler of deep leg veins was positive in more than 40% of patients. Transthoracic echocardiography was normal in more than 40% of the patients. Lung scan noted a high or very high probability in 87% of cases. Pulmonary helical CT was positive in majority of cases. Unfractionated heparin was administered to about 75% of patients and low-molecular-weight-heparin was prescribed at only 40% of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Management of pulmonary embolism in our cardiology department is characterized by the frequent use of non invasive techniques on the diagnostic view and appeal to heparine on the therapeutic view.
Ouldzein
H
H
Service de cardiologie B, hôpital de Rangueil, 1, avenue Jean-Poulhès, 31059 Toulouse cedex 09, France. houldzein@yahoo.fr <houldzein@yahoo.fr>
Nourredine
A
A
Cherradi
R
R
Rahal
N
N
Mechmeche
R
R
Haouala
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016507:Cardiology Service, Hospital; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
D000925:Anticoagulants; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D; D006493:Heparin