Incidence of pulmonary embolism

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Clinical outcomes
• Hospital epidemiology

Background:

• Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a significant cause of mortality in hospitalized patients.
• Community hospitals face challenges in diagnosing and managing PE effectively.
• Existing data suggests PE is a prevalent cause of death, impacting both community and university hospital settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence and impact of pulmonary emboli as a cause of death in a community hospital setting.
• To compare PE prevalence and diagnostic rates with national statistics and university hospital data.
• To assess the rate of undiagnosed pulmonary emboli at autopsy.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of patient deaths over 5 years in a 219-bed community hospital.
• Review of autopsy findings for 422 patients to identify undiagnosed pulmonary emboli.
• Comparison of findings with national statistics on fatal and nonfatal pulmonary emboli.

Main Results:

• Pulmonary embolus was identified as the most common cause of death (primary, secondary, or contributory).
• Autopsy revealed that 21% of patients (93 out of 422) had pulmonary emboli that were undiagnosed during their lifetime.
• The death rate for diagnosed pulmonary emboli was approximately 21%, similar to other studies.
• The incidence of pulmonary emboli and lower limb thrombosis appears consistent across community and university hospitals, irrespective of care intensity.

Conclusions:

• Pulmonary emboli represent a critical and often underdiagnosed cause of mortality in community hospitals.
• The high rate of undiagnosed PE underscores the need for improved diagnostic strategies and clinical awareness.
• Effective management of pulmonary emboli is crucial, with similar incidence rates observed across different hospital types.