Arch Intern Med
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Comparative Study
Thirty-day case-fatality rates for pulmonary embolism in the elderly.
Short-term race- and sex-specific case- fatality rates for pulmonary embolism (PE) in the elderly have not been studied previously, to our knowledge. ⋯ Our results indicate that there are racial and gender differences in 30-day case-fatality rates for PE in elderly patients. The high fatality risk associated with PE as a comorbid factor among common primary concurrent conditions and procedures calls attention to the need for more effective prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis and rapid diagnosis and treatment of PE when it occurs.
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The risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation can be significantly reduced with antithrombotic therapy. Despite this, many physicians remain hesitant to prescribe warfarin sodium or aspirin therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation. ⋯ About half of the patients with atrial fibrillation admitted to these academic hospitals had clinical risk factors that are associated with increased risk of stroke and no contraindications to anticoagulation. Antithrombotic therapy was underused in these patients.