Clinical profile, management and outcome of pulmonary embolism in Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre, Kathmandu, Nepal

Background and aims

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is associated with a significant mortality and morbidity. We aim to study clinical profile, management and outcome of PE at Shahid Gangalal National heart Centre, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Methods

It was a retrprospective, single centre study, conducted from January 2015 to December 2016. Haemodynamics was used for risk Simplified, PESI score, predisposing factors, symptoms, clinical features at the time of admission, ECG features, echocardiogram, treatment received and the outcome were reviewed.

Results

During the study period 23 cases of PE were admitted. Nine were males and 14 were females. Eleven patients were diagnosed as provoked PE. High risk PE was diagnosed in four patients, Non-high risk in 19 patients. The most common clinical presentation was shortness of breath. The most common finding in ECG is sinus tachycardia followed by ST-T changes in V1-V3. Eight patient had SPO2 less than 90%. Most of the patients had a normal chest radiograph. Echocardiography revealed dilated RA and RV in 20 patients.

All high risk PE patients were thrombolyzed with streptokinase. All patients who were diagnosed as Non-high risk PE were treated with LMWH. All the patients were treated with oral anticoagulants. Mean hospital stay was 9.7 ± 4.9 days. Two patients died during hospital stay. S-PESI score was 1.4 ± 0.9 respectively. Mean warfarin dose at the time of discharge was 5.9 ± 1.6 mg.

Conclusion

PE is an under diagnosed clinical problem world over. Suspicion is the most important part to come to the diagnosis of PE.