Pulmonary Embolism: An Overview

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major public health concern with an annual incidence of 1 per 1,000 patients in the United States. VTE encompasses a spectrum of diseases including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). DVT is a precursor to PE, and approximately 80% of patients have DVT when PE is diagnosed. The risk factors for PE are the same as those for DVT; consequently, diagnosis and management of VTE are contingent on the underlying risk factors and the extent of disease. A suspected VTE diagnosis should be pursued with risk stratification tools such as the Wells DVT and PE criteria and the Revised Geneva Score for PE. This chapter reviews PE diagnosis, risk stratification, and management.