The mortality of untreated pulmonary embolism in emergency department patients.

摘要: Much of the literature on pulmonary embolism that is commonly referenced by emergency physicians begins with statistics concerning how often diagnosis missed and lethality if undiagnosed untreated. It likely many continue to pursue an aggressive diagnostic strategy even in low-risk patients because concerns about potential for poor patient outcome medicolegal consequences a diagnosis. The believed often-quoted mortality recurrence rates untreated or are 26% 30%. However, these figures originate from investigations have little relevance modern medicine, which include studies dating 1940s, significant methodologic pitfalls. These data also based primarily either inpatient autopsy populations, neither representative treated department (ED). Analysis ambulatory reveals less than 5%. This article discusses background quoted highlights need future enrolling ED focus disease this population.