Archive

Tag: Pulmonary Embolism

Safety of PE Treatment with Rivaroxaban

Background: The simplified PE Severity Index (sPESI) is one of several validated prognostic tools for acute pulmonary embolism (PE).  The European Society of Cardiology recommended the use of the sPESI to risk-stratify patients with acute PE into low risk (sPESI=0) and ...

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Thoracic and Respiratory

Altitude Adjusted PERC Oxygen Saturation

The PERC rule has been a welcome addition to the emergency department evaluation of patients with chest pain or dyspnea suspected of pulmonary embolism. This has allowed a reduction in D-dimer testing in low risk patients. The traditional saturation cut-off of ...

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Thoracic and Respiratory

Normalization of Vital Signs Does Not Reduce the Probability of Pulmonary Embolism

Background: In patients with symptoms of pulmonary embolism (PE), we often turn to vital signs, including heart rate, respiratory rate and pulse oximetry, as part of our initial impression of the patient.  Before even considering further testing, such as d-dimer or ...

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Thoracic and Respiratory

The PEAPETT Trial: Half Dose tPA for PEA due to Massive Pulmonary Embolism

Background: Anyone who has run a code, knows that pulseless electrical activity (PEA) during cardiac arrest has a worse prognosis compared to patients with shockable rhythms.  In patients with suspected massive PE as the cause of their cardiac arrest the ...

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Resuscitation

Should I Stay or Should I Go: Outpatient Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism

Background: The care of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is currently undergoing a paradigm shift in the US with an increasingly large percentage of patients being discharged home from the Emergency Department (ED).  It wasn’t too long ago that all patients diagnosed ...

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Hematology and Oncology

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