COPD and PE: A clinical dilemma

Original Research

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Authors: Teng Moua, Kenneth Wood

Published Date June 2008 Volume 2008:3(2) Pages 277 - 284

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/COPD.S1183

Teng Moua¹, Kenneth Wood²

¹Department of Internal Medicine, ²Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, Madison, WI, USA

Abstract: Dyspnea in patients with known chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be a clinical challenge due to the nonspecific nature of atypical presentations. Typical features of fever, productive cough, and wheezing on presentation support COPD exacerbation, while absence of such findings may warrant further evaluation for underlying etiologies, including pulmonary embolism (PE). It is suspected that one in four patients with atypical COPD exacerbation may have PE as an underlying or concomitant cause of acute dyspnea. This review discusses the clinical presentation of COPD and PE, and presents an overview of the rationale for pursuing work-up for thromboembolic disease in the setting of known obstructive lung diseases.

Keywords: pulmonary embolism, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, dyspnea