Pulmonary Embolism

Pulmonary embolism is a sudden blockage in a lung artery. Blockage usually is caused by a blood clot that travels to the lung from a vein in the leg. Because pulmonary embolism almost always occurs in conjunction with deep vein thrombosis, most doctors refer to the two conditions together as venous thromboembolism. Pulmonary embolism can be life-threatening, but prompt treatment can greatly reduce the risk of death. or have persistent arterial hypotension (high-risk PE) should undergo multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) or echocardiography at once, 

Analysis on Pulmonary embolism around Germany gave the result as Hemodynamically unstable patients are considered to have high-risk PE, whereas hemodynamically stable patients are considered to have non-high-risk PE. After classification into one of these two risk groups, patients undergo further diagnostic evaluation for PE according to the appropriate risk-adapted algorithm. Patients who are in cardiogenic shock

so that a PE, if present, can be treated immediately by thrombolysis. For hemodynamically stable patients with non-high-risk PE the proper diagnostic strategy is determined by the clinical probability of PE, which can be calculated with the aid of validated scoring systems and is based on both MDCT and D-dimer levels. For further risk stratification in hemodynamically stable patients, tests are performed to detect right ventricular dysfunction or myocardial injury, either of which indicates intermediate-risk PE.