Pulmonary embolism resident survival guide

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Rim Halaby; Pratik Bahekar, MBBS [2]

Pulmonary embolism Resident Survival Guide Microchapters
Overview
Causes
FIRE
Diagnosis
Treatment General Approach Choice of Intervention Type of Valve and Discharge Anticoagulation Therapy
Do's
Don'ts

Overview

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is an acute obstruction of the pulmonary artery (or one of its branches). The obstruction in the pulmonary artery that causes a PE can be due to thrombus, air, tumor, or fat. Most often, this is due to a venous thrombosis (blood clot from a vein), which has been dislodged from its site of formation in the lower extremities. It has then embolized to the arterial blood supply of one of the lungs. This process is termed thromboembolism. PE is a potentially lethal condition. The patient can present with a range of signs and symptoms, including dyspnea, chest pain while breathing, and in more severe cases collapse, shock, and cardiac arrest. Pulmonary embolism can be classified based on the time course of symptom presentation (acute and chronic) and the overall severity of disease (stratified based upon three levels of risk: massive, submassive, and low-risk). PE treatment requires rapid and accurate risk stratification before the development of hemodynamic collapse and cardiogenic shock. Treatment consists of an anticoagulant medication, such as heparin or warfarin, and in severe cases, thrombolysis or surgery.

Causes

Life Threatening Causes

Life-threatening causes include conditions which result in death or permanent disability within 24 hours if left untreated.

• DVT
• Injury

Common Causes

• Antiphospholipid syndrome
• Antithrombin deficiency
• Factor V Leiden
• Hyperhomocysteinemia
• Long-distance air travel
• Malignancy
• Nephrotic syndrome
• Obesity
• Post surgery
• Pregnancy
• Protein C deficiency
• Protein S deficiency
• Prothrombin mutation

Classification

Pulmonary embolism can be classified based on the time course of symptom presentation (acute and chronic) and the overall severity of disease (stratified based upon three levels of risk: massive, submassive, and low-risk).

Massive Pulmonary Embolism

• An acute pulmonary embolism with:
  • Sustained hypotension (systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg) for at least 15 minutes or requiring inotropic support. This is not due to other possible causes of hypotension such as arrhythmia, hypovolemia, sepsis, or left ventricular dysfunction.
  • Pulselessness
  • Persistent profound bradycardia (heart rate < 40 bpm with signs or symptoms of shock).

Submassive Pulmonary Embolism

• An acute PE without:
  • Systemic hypotension but with either right ventricular dysfunction or myocardial necrosis.. Myocardial necrosis is defined as either elevation of troponin I (>0.4 ng/mL) or elevation of troponin T (>0.1 ng/mL).
• Submassive pulmonary embolism patients share the following characteristics:
  • A significantly higher rate of in-hospital complications.
  • A higher potential for long-term pulmonary hypertension and cardiopulmonary disease.
• Though patients with submassive pulmonary emboli may initially appear hemodynamically and clinically stable, there is potential to undergo a cycle of progressive right ventricular failure. A submassive pulmonary embolism requires continuous monitoring to prevent irreversible damage and death.

FIRE: Focused Initial Rapid Evaluation

A Focused Initial Rapid Evaluation (FIRE) should be performed to identify patients in need of immediate intervention. The algorithm below is based on the 2011 AHA Guideline for the Management of Patients With Pulmonary Embolism.

Management

Step 1: Establish The Diagnosis Of Pulmonary Embolism

In hospitals that have experience in performing and interpreting CT pulmonary angiography, the following flowchart approach can be adopted.

Determine chances of PE

Low chance

High chance

D-dimer

<500 ng/ml

>500 ng/ml

CT Pulmonary angiography

PE excluded

Negative

Positive

PE excluded

PE confirmed

Note: If there is a high clinical suspicion of pulmonary embolism, then anticoagulation can begin with a parenteral agent such as unfractionated heparin during the process of performing the diagnostic studies.

Step 2: Use A Risk-Stratified Approach to Treat the Patient with Pulmonary Embolism

Confirmed PE

Assess Clinical Stability

Unstable

Stable

Blood pressure ≦ 90mm Drop in BP ≧ 40mm for > 15 min

Assess RV function Biomarkers of injury

Thrombolysis Catheter embolectomy Surgery

No Dysfunction + No injury

Dysfunction + No injury

Dysfunction + Injury

Anticoagulation Early discharge

Anticoagulation Ward admission

Thrombolytics ICU admission

Step 3: Assess Treatment Response and Need for Device Based Therapy

Acute PE confirmed

Anticoagulation contraindicated ?

Yes

No

IVC filter

Risk stratification

Low-risk PE

Submassive PE

Massive PE

Anticoagulation

Anticoagulation

Assess clinically for evidence of increased severity

Evidence of shock (SBP <90 mmHg) or respiratory failure

Is thrombolytic contraindicated?

Yes

No

Surgical emblectomy or catheter based interventions

Hold anticoagulation, give thrombolytics then resume anticoagulations

Patient shows clinical improvement

No

Yes

Surgical emblectomy or catheter based interventions

Continue anticoagulation

References