Symptomatology, Clinical Presentation and Basic Work up in Patients with Suspected Pulmonary Embolism.
Basic knowledge of pulmonary embolism is relevant to most practicing physicians. Many medical specialties care for patients with increased risk of pulmonary embolism, why recognition of relevant symptoms, a thorough medical history, assessment of the clinical condition of the patient and possibly referral to a relevant facility should be a part of the skills of all clinicians. Sudden onset dyspnea, chest pain, syncope and hemoptysis are essential symptoms of pulmonary embolism, and in most of these patients basic investigations like arterial blood gas analysis, electrocardiogram, chest x-ray and biochemical analyses are appropriate. In addition, lung ultrasound and echocardiography are indicated in many of these patients. The information available from the medical history, clinical assessment and basic investigation form the basis on which the decision about further diagnostic imaging and intensity of treatment and monitoring can be made. These decisions can be guided by clinical scoring systems like the Wells score, revised Geneva score and the PESI.
Department of Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Vejle Hospital, Vejle, Denmark.
Poul Henning
PH
Madsen
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark. soeren.hess@rsyd.dk.|Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Hospital of Southwest Jutland, Esbjerg, Denmark. soeren.hess@rsyd.dk.
Søren
S
Hess
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000378:metabolism; D006469:Hemoptysis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013575:Syncope / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography
D015415:Biomarkers; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D
Clinical presentation; Diagnosis; Prognosis; Pulmonary embolism; Symptomatology