Pulmonary embolism as a cause of death

ABSTRACT

To investigate the present status of pulmonary embolism as the cause of death in a general hospital population, the author reviewed 610 autopsy reports, and associated hospital records for the period 1985-1989. Pulmonary embolism was the major contributing factor to the cause of death in 61 (10 percent) of the 610 autopsies performed. Of the patients dying from major pulmonary embolism, in only 12 (19.7 percent) was the diagnosis suspected antemortem; and in 44 (72 percent) deep vein thrombosis was detected in the femoralpopliteal vein at autopsy. The mean age of patients dying from major pulmonary embolism was 52.2 years, and 31 (50.8 percent) victims were under the age of 50 years. Fifty-six (92 percent) of patients dying from pulmonary embolism were of African descent while 5 (8 percent) were of East Indian descent. Without autopsies. 49 (80.3 percent) patients dying of pulmonary embolism would have been incorrectly certified and registered in death statistics based on clinical certification only (AU)