High-risk pulmonary embolism assessed by transthoracic echocardiography: A case report

RATIONALE: Acute pulmonary embolism (APE) as a life-threatening illness may present with a wide range of manifestations. APE was diagnosed using computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA); however, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) can reveal hemodynamic status. Early thrombolysis is the most effective therapy for the treatment of massive pulmonary embolism. PATIENTS CONCERNS: Herein, we report a case of high-risk APE with a wide range of manifestations, including chest pain, dyspnea, low-blood pressure, and syncope. DIAGNOSES: A 55-year-old, previously healthy woman, complained of dyspnea and pleuritic chest pain for 40 days, along with transitory (10 minutes) episodes of syncope that had occurred 2 days previously. INTERVENTIONS: Because of the high-risk APE, the patient received intravenous thrombolytic therapy with low-dose recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA, 50 mg over 30 minutes) and an anticoagulant (subcutaneous low-molecular-weight heparin, once every 12 hours for 5 days). OUTCOMES: Five days after thrombolysis, bedside TTE revealed RV diastolic dimension decreased to 22 mm. Color ultrasonography revealed a significant decrease in systolic and mean pulmonary artery pressure. LESSONS: TTE may provide initial suspicion of APE and may help identify patients with unstable hemodynamic status before the onset of shock. Moreover, concomitant TTE signs of decreased RV load may predict better prognosis for high-risk APE patients.