title: Right heart thrombus causing syncope in an elderly patient.
abstract: Pulmonary embolism and thromboembolic disease carry a high mortality if not recognised and managed appropriately. Herein we illustrate the case of a dehydrated elderly female patient with recurrent syncope who proved to have high risk pulmonary embolism and a free floating right heart thrombus. The echocardiographic findings of right heart thrombus and possible thrombi 'in transit' within a low flow inferior vena cava, guided a life-saving treatment in this frail elderly patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Eva D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Papadimitraki
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Kanella
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zerva
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bassoulis
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chatzigheorgiou
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barbetseas
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003681:Dehydration / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D012008:Recurrence; D013575:Syncope / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants
keywords: older people; pulmonary embolism in elderly; right heart thrombus; syncope; thrombolysis