5 Key Questions in the Work-up and Management of Acute PE
5 Key Questions in the Work-up and Management of Acute PE
PE is no doubt one of the most frustrating conditions that emergency physicians face on a regular basis. It's an entity that we think of every day in our practice, yet there is still significant confusion regarding its work-up and treatment.
PE is a common high-risk condition without definitive recommendations for work-up or treatment -- and it's the plaintiff attorney's dream disease! The clinical literature indicates that we over-workup patients for this condition, and yet the legal literature suggests that we still underdiagnose it.
Even when the diagnosis is made, debate still arises. Can some patients be discharged? Should we thrombolyse patients? How do we treat pregnant patients with PE? These are just a few of the common questions I find myself asking routinely in my clinical practice.
After having read this article by Condliffe and colleagues, I must admit that I feel far more comfortable in managing these patients. At the very least, I feel that I am now armed with some of the latest references and recommendations to deal with the common dilemmas. I urge clinicians to obtain a copy of this excellent article and keep it close at hand, as I'm sure all of us will face these issues again soon -- maybe during our next shift. I also hope that these authors take the next step, and in a similar evidence-based manner address some of the common dilemmas we face in the work-up of patients.
Abstract
Viewpoint
PE is no doubt one of the most frustrating conditions that emergency physicians face on a regular basis. It's an entity that we think of every day in our practice, yet there is still significant confusion regarding its work-up and treatment.
PE is a common high-risk condition without definitive recommendations for work-up or treatment -- and it's the plaintiff attorney's dream disease! The clinical literature indicates that we over-workup patients for this condition, and yet the legal literature suggests that we still underdiagnose it.
Even when the diagnosis is made, debate still arises. Can some patients be discharged? Should we thrombolyse patients? How do we treat pregnant patients with PE? These are just a few of the common questions I find myself asking routinely in my clinical practice.
After having read this article by Condliffe and colleagues, I must admit that I feel far more comfortable in managing these patients. At the very least, I feel that I am now armed with some of the latest references and recommendations to deal with the common dilemmas. I urge clinicians to obtain a copy of this excellent article and keep it close at hand, as I'm sure all of us will face these issues again soon -- maybe during our next shift. I also hope that these authors take the next step, and in a similar evidence-based manner address some of the common dilemmas we face in the work-up of patients.
Abstract
