Template:PE clinical presentation
Symptoms
According to the PIOPED II study, these are the most common presenting signs[1]
- Dyspnea at rest or with exertion (73%)
- Pleuritic chest pain (44%)
- Cough (37%)
- Orthopnea (28%)
- Calf or thigh pain and/or swelling (44%)
- Wheezing (21%)
- Hemoptysis (13%)
Signs
- Tachypnea (54%)
- Calf or thigh swelling, erythema, edema, tenderness, palpable cord (47%)
- Tachycardia (24%)
- Rales (18%)
- Decreased breath sounds (17%)
- Accentuated pulmonic component of the second heart sound (15%)
- JVD (14%)
- Fever (3%)
- ↑ Stein PD et al. Clinical characteristics of patients with acute pulmonary embolism: data from PIOPED II. Am J Med. 2007;120(10):871.