[Pulmonary thromboembolism in heart disease]

In heart disease (HD) pulmonary emboli (PE) is seen with same frequency at necropsy as in the general hospital population. There is more mortality in patients with HD than in those without it. The patient with HD rarely is asymptomatic during the pulmonary embolization. Symptoms, signs and laboratory abnormalities occurs with the same frequency in both groups of patients with PE, but some symptoms and clinical signs, and also laboratory abnormalities could pre exist in the patients with HD, situation that dificulties the clinical diagnosis of PE. Particular value should be given to the symptoms and signs for the diagnosis in the patients with HD when they progress. In patients with HD the arrithmias were more common and also the pulmonary infection, for these reasons monitorization and the use on antibiotics should be routenely.