Tuberc Respir Dis.  1990 Jun;37(2):160-166. 10.4046/trd.1990.37.2.160.

Clinical Study of Pulmonary Embolism

• KMID: 2528495
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4046/trd.1990.37.2.160

Abstract

Pulmonary embolism is a life threatening disease that needs early and accurate diagnosis and prompt management. In order to find the better way to recognize and treat the patients with pulmonary embolism, clinical characteristics were analyzed from the chart record of the patients with pulmonary ernbolism from january, 1985 to Agust, 1989. The result are as follows; 1) There was no significant difference in sex, mean age was 49.6 years and above 60 were 10 patients (52 .6%). 2) The risk factors were deep vein thrombosis and varicose vein in lower extremities (73.6%). old age above 60 years (52.6%), operation (1 5.8%), heart disease (1 0.5%), obesity (1 0.5%). and unknown origin (10 .5%) 3) The common symptoms were dyspnea (73.3%) , chest paill (63.2%), hemoptysis (3 1.5%) 4) The common physical findings were tachypnea over 20/ min (57.9%) , rales on auscultation (36.8%), tachycardia over 100/ min (31.5%). 5) The patients with hypoxia (Pa02 < 60 mmHg) were 4 (21 %). 6) The electrocardiography showed normal finding in 63.2%, ST -T change in 15.8%, and QRS abnormalities in 15.8%. 7) The chest X-ray showed infiltration in 26.3%, pleural effusion in 10.5%‘ and normal in 68.4% 8) The lung perfusion scan showed total lung defect in 10.5%, lobar defect in 73.7%, and segmental defect in 15.8%. 9) The initial impression were pulmonary embolism in 41.2%. pneumonia or pulmonary tuberculosis in 31.5%, and ischemic heart disease in 15.8%.