Critical care clinics
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Critical care clinics · Oct 2011
ReviewMortality risk assessment and the role of thrombolysis in pulmonary embolism.
Acute venous thromboembolism remains a frequent disease, with an incidence ranging between 23 and 69 cases per 100,000 population per year. Of these patients, approximately one-third present with clinical symptoms of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) and two-thirds with deep venous thrombosis (DVT). ⋯ Overall, 1% of all patients admitted to hospitals die of acute PE, and 10% of all hospital deaths are PE-related. These facts emphasize the need to better implement our knowledge on the pathophysiology of the disease, recognize the determinants of death or major adverse events in the early phase of acute PE, and most importantly, identify those patients who necessitate prompt medical, surgical, or interventional treatment to restore the patency of the pulmonary vasculature.
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The scope and spectrum of pulmonary embolism (PE) that are likely to challenge the intensivist are dominantly confined to 2 scenarios; first, a patient presenting with undifferentiated shock or respiratory failure and, second, an established intensive care unit (ICU) or hospital patient who develops hemodynamically unstable PE after admission. In either scenario, the diagnostic approach and therapeutic options are challenging. Differentiating PE from other life-threatening cardiopulmonary disorders can be exceedingly difficult. This article will review a structured pathophysiologic approach to the diagnostic, resuscitative and management strategies related to PE in the ICU.
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Critical care clinics · Oct 2011
ReviewDiagnostic approach to deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in the critical care setting.
Considerable progress has been made during the last 30 years in the prevention, diagnosis, and therapy of venous thromboembolism. This article discusses the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical presentation of the disease as well as the diagnostic uncertainty that exists in the critical care setting. Diagnostic approaches for deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are considered, including clinical prediction rules, D-dimer, contrast venography, duplex ultrasonography, computed tomographic angiography and venography, magnetic resonance imaging, ventilation–perfusion scanning, chest radiograph, arterial blood gases, electrocardiography, and echocardiography.
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Critical care clinics · Oct 2011
ReviewTreatment of pulmonary embolism: anticoagulation, thrombolytic therapy, and complications of therapy.
During the last two decades, considerable progress in technology and clinical research methods have led to advances in the approach to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of acute venous thromboembolism (VTE). Despite this, however, the diagnosis is often delayed and preventive methods are often ignored. Thus, the morbidity and mortality associated with VTE remain high. The therapeutic approach to acute VTE is discussed in this article, with a particular focus on the intensive care unit setting.
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Hypercoagulable states can be inherited or acquired. Inherited hypercoagulable states can be caused by a loss of function of natural anticoagulant pathways or a gain of function in procoagulant pathways. ⋯ Venous thromboembolism occurs when the risk exceeds a critical threshold. Often a triggering factor, such as surgery, pregnancy, or estrogen therapy, is required to increase the risk above this critical threshold.