title: Pulmonary embolism in a patient of tetralogy of Fallot: a diagnostic challenge.
abstract: A 46-year-old male patient with tetralogy of Fallot presented to the emergency department with progressive dyspnea for 3 days. The dyspnea was refractory to treatment for tet spells. Pulmonary embolism (PE) was subsequently diagnosed by computed tomography, and the patient was successfully treated with heparinization. Chronic hypoxemia-induced secondary polycythemia and the consequent increase in blood hyperviscosity predisposed this patient to PE. This case reminds us of the similarity in clinical presentation between PE and tet spells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Emergency Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: alan0921000000@gmail.com.
authors.forename: I-Lin
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: jochi77@adm.cgmh.org.tw.
authors.forename: Jo-Chi
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Tseng
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D013771:Tetralogy of Fallot / Q000150:complications*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants