Overview and assessment of risk factors for pulmonary embolism

Abstract

Pulmonary embolism is one of the most common undiagnosed conditions affecting hospitalized patients. There are a plethora of risk factors for venous thromboembolism and pulmonary emboli. These factors are grouped under the broad triad of hypercoagulability, stasis and injury to provide a framework for understanding. Important risk factors include inherited thrombophilia, age, malignancy and estrogens. These risk factors are reviewed in detail and several risk assessment models are reviewed. These risk assessment models help identify those at risk for disease and therefore candidates for thromboprophylaxis. Diagnosis can be difficult and is aided by clinical decision rules that incorporate clinical scores that define the likelihood of pulmonary embolism. These are important considerations, not only for diagnostic purposes, but also to minimize excessive use of imaging, which increases exposure to and risks associated with radiation. A healthy index of suspicion is often the key to diagnosis.

Keywords::

• clinical decision rules
• clinical protocols
• decision support techniques
• pulmonary embolism
• risk assessment models
• thrombophilia
• venous thromboembolism

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Notes

Reproduced with permission from [66].