Factors associated with mortality among Asian patients diagnosed with acute pulmonary embolism in the Emergency Department

Abstract

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially lifethreatening condition that carries a high risk of morbidity and mortality (1). A recent observational study in Canada has estimated the 30-day and 1-year mortality rates from this disease to be 3.9% and 12.9% respectively (2). A systematic review of the global disease burden of thrombosis has also found venous thromboembolism, a closelylinked precursor to PE, to be one of the leading sources of disability-adjusted life years lost globally (1). While early diagnosis and management have been shown to improve survival rates, diagnosis of the disease is notoriously difficult, particularly in the emergency department (ED) (3). The early signs and symptoms of PE are nonspecific and often overlap with those of other cardiopulmonary conditions (2). Clinical screening Original Article