2002 Volume 13 Issue 3 Pages 199-204
Clinical course was evaluated in 6 patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism; APTE. Their ages ranged from 64 to 94 years. Three of them were over 80-year-old, two were schizophrenic who were put on the psychotropics. Following the patient’s methodical history taking and physical examination, all patients underwent transthoracic two-dimensional echocardiography; TTE and venous ultrasonography. In all 6 patients TTE showed diastolic bowing of the interventricular septum into the left ventricle. Three patients detected deep venous thrombus by ultrasonography. Spiral computed tomography of the chest with contrast medium demonstrated the presence of thrombi in the proximal pulmonary artery. After treatment, CT image showed these thrombi decreased in size or disappeared in all. All patients studied received anticoagulation with unfractionated heparin and 2 patients received additional thrombolytic therapy. Two were no bleeding complications and no deaths. An allergic adverse reaction to psychotropics is suspected in 2 patients. Further study should be necessary.
