Pulmonary thromboembolism: a historical perspective

The pathophysiology of acute and chronic thromboembolic disease was well documented and understood long before methods of diagnosing the disease with confidence were developed. It should also be noted that heparin, currently the standard therapy for acute venous thrombosis and acute pulmonary embolism, was available before diagnostic imaging studies were developed and in general use. The current diagnostic procedures (venography, Doppler ultrasound, V/Q imaging, and pulmonary angiography) and the various diagnostic algorithms for evaluating patients suspected of having thromboembolic disease are relatively recent developments, but have had a major impact on the treatment of this disease.