THE VARIED CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF PULMONARY EMBOLISM

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Pulmonary embolism has become the most common disease of the lungs encountered in general hospitals. Ninety instances were recognized in an 18-month period at the Graduate Hospital, outnumbering pneumonia and bronchogenic carcinoma. The disease most often requiring differentiation from embolism was acute myocardial infarction. Chest roentgeno-grams were important in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism and this diagnosis was suspected in 55.2% of patients who were X-rayed. Ecg abnormalities were detected in 70% of cases adequately examined. The high frequency of transient ecg changes seen is remarkable, since the episodes of embolism were so often of moderate or slight severity. Serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase determinations were made in 49 patients. Levels were consistently normal in 32 patients, while elevations were noted in 17 patients. In all but one of these, associated hepatic, myocardial or musculoskeletal disease accounted for the elevation. In the absence of these complicating factors, transaminase determinations are valuable in differentiation of pulmonary and myocardial infarction.