A history of pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosis.

Although enormous progress has been made in understanding the physiology of pulmonary embolism, developing new diagnostic modalities and strategies, and constant refinement in the use of heparin therapy and thrombolytic therapy, venous thromboembolism remains a common and lethal process. As the history of this disease illustrates, advances continue to be made and it is anticipated that with newer diagnostic studies and anticoagulants under development, diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary embolism will continue to improve.