Pulmonary embolism in a patient with "isolated syncope", a diagnostic challenge.
Syncope is a recognized presenting symptom in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE), and is more common in older patients and following a large embolus. Isolated syncope, in the absence of dyspnea or tachycardia, is uncommon in this setting, and may be misdiagnosed as cardiac in origin, leading to a delay in appropriate treatment. We present a case which illustrates the importance of consideration of pulmonary embolism in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with syncope, and the value of echocardiography in its diagnosis.
Department of Internal Medicine, Weiss Memorial Hospital, affiliate of the University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.
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Blum
Department of Internal Medicine, Weiss Memorial Hospital, affiliate of the University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.
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Idowu
Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Cardiology, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago, IL.
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Danciu
D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004417:Dyspnea; D004452:Echocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013575:Syncope / Q000175:diagnosis*