Acute massive pulmonary embolism with hemodynamic compromise treated successfully with thrombolytic therapy.

Abstract

A 78 year-old woman presented with a history of 15 days of dyspnea and tachypnea at rest. A distended right ventricle with free-wall hypokinesis and displacement of the interventricular septum toward the left ventricle were shown on echocardiography. The patient suddenly arrested. She underwent cardiac catheterization and selective pulmonary angiography for suspected pulmonary embolism while undergoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. With the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism confirmed, recombinant tissue plasminogen activator was given immediately in the catheterization room. This case shows how pulmonary embolism can be diagnosed with pulmonary angiography during cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the life-saving result from rapid thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator.

• Authors: Selcuk Pala, Gokhan Kahveci, Sahin Bozok
• Journal: Clinical and applied thrombosis/hemostasis : official journal of the International Academy of Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis (Clin Appl Thromb Hemost) Vol. 15 Issue 6 Pg. 708-10 (Dec 2009) ISSN: 1938-2723 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 18818230 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Tissue Plasminogen Activator

Topics

• Aged
• Angiography
• Cardiac Catheterization
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
• Electrocardiography
• Female
• Heart Arrest
• Hemodynamics
• Humans
• Pulmonary Embolism (blood, diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Thrombolytic Therapy (methods)
• Tissue Plasminogen Activator (therapeutic use)