Monday, July 24, 2006

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension

Reviewed in CMAJ.

Noteworthy: 3.8% of patients who present with acute PE will develop chronic thrombolic pulmonary hypertension (CTPH) within 2 years. Among patients presenting with CTPH only 50% will have a history of PE or DVT. In suspected cases, the workup should begin with V/Q scanning and echocardiography. The prognosis of untreated CTPH is poor. Pulmonary endarterectomy is the treatment of choice.

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