{
    "abstract": "The influence of several diseases and conditions upon the prevalence of pulmonary embolism in autopsies performed during a ten year period at the University of Michigan has been analyzed. The major factors contributing to an increase in risk of development of pulmonary embolism include heart disease, certain types of cancer, obesity, acute paraplegia and accidental and operative trauma. These and several other risk factors defined in other studies should be used in a selective program designed to increase the rate of detection of deep venous thrombosis before pulmonary embolism occurs, or alternatively, patients at increased risk should receive prophylactic low dosage heparin therapy during hospitalization.\nThe influence of several diseases and conditions upon the prevalence of pulmonary embolism in autopsies performed over the July 1, 1964 to June 30, 1974 period at the University of Michigan Medical Center (Ann Arbor, Michigan) were analyzed. The prevalence of pulmonary was 12.3% in the 4600 necropsies in this sample. Patients with pulmonary fat emboli or tumor emboli and patients thought to have thrombosis of the pulmonary artery were not designated as having pulmonary thromboembolism. The patients were categorized with regard to heart disease on the basis of both clinical and necropsy findings. The major factors contributing to an increase in risk of development of pulmonary embolism include heart disease, certain types of cancer, obesity, acute paraplegia and accidental and operative trauma. Other risk factors which could not be assessed in this study include a prior history of venous thromboembolism, pregnancy and the puerperium, use of oral contraceptives, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Age plays a major role in the prevalence of pulmonary embolism. A portion of the effect of age is related to the age distribution of other diseases contributing to an increased risk, yet advanced age alone may have an independent influence. The risk factors defined should be used in a selective program designed to increase the rate of detection of deep venous thrombosis before pulmonary embolism occurs. Alternatively, patients at increased risk should be treated with prophylactic low dosage heparin during hospitalization.",
    "authors": [
        {
            "affiliation": null,
            "firstname": "W W",
            "initials": "WW",
            "lastname": "Coon"
        }
    ],
    "conclusions": null,
    "copyrights": null,
    "doi": null,
    "journal": "Surgery, gynecology & obstetrics",
    "keywords": [
        "Age Factors",
        "Americas",
        "Cancer",
        "Demographic Factors",
        "Developed Countries",
        "Diseases",
        "Embolism",
        "Heart Diseases",
        "Incidence",
        "Measurement",
        "Michigan",
        "North America",
        "Northern America",
        "Population",
        "Population Characteristics",
        "Pulmonary Embolism",
        "Research Methodology",
        "Retrospective Studies",
        "Studies",
        "Thromboembolism",
        "United States",
        "Vascular Diseases"
    ],
    "methods": null,
    "publication_date": "1976-09-01",
    "pubmed_id": "959958",
    "results": null,
    "title": "Risk factors in pulmonary embolism.",
    "xml": "<Element 'PubmedArticle' at 0x7885043167f0>"
}