Role of paradoxic embolism in patients with acute pulmonary embolism and right ventricular enlargement who are at risk for adverse clinical events.

Abstract

HomeCirculationVol. 110, No. 13Role of Paradoxic Embolism in Patients With Acute Pulmonary Embolism and Right Ventricular Enlargement Who Are at Risk for Adverse Clinical Events Free AccessLetterPDF/EPUBAboutView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyReddit Jump toFree AccessLetterPDF/EPUBRole of Paradoxic Embolism in Patients With Acute Pulmonary Embolism and Right Ventricular Enlargement Who Are at Risk for Adverse Clinical Events Tsung O. Cheng, MD Tsung O. ChengTsung O. Cheng George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC, Search for more papers by this author Originally published28 Sep 2004https://doi.org/10.1161/01.CIR.0000142869.40733.B1Circulation. 2004;110:e331To the Editor:The recent report by Quiroz et al1 that detection of right ventricular (RV) enlargement on chest computed tomography helped identify patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) for adverse clinical events has important prognostic and therapeutic implications, but the authors did not offer an explanation.Besides such obvious consequences of RV enlargement as RV dysfunction, RV infarction, and decreased cardiac output, there is another explanation, namely, paradoxic embolism. The high frequency (35%) of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in patients with major PE has been recently reported2 and is in accord with the autopsy findings from the Mayo Clinic.3 PFO is associated with a more than 10-fold increase in death risk and a 5-fold increase in the risk of major adverse events during the hospital stay of patients with acute PE.2Right-to-left shunting via a PFO does not occur under normal conditions unless the right atrial pressure exceeds that in the left atrium. With RV dilatation after PE, right atrial pressure rises and right-to-left shunt ensues via the PFO. Such a shunting not only causes arterial desaturation and thus systemic hypoxemia but also paradoxic embolism. The latter may take place in either the cerebral or the coronary circulation,4 either or both of which may result in serious consequences.The presence of a PFO in acute PE also carries an important therapeutic implication. Because PE tends to recur, it is wise to close the PFO. Nowadays, the closure of a PFO can be carried out nonsurgically by percutaneous insertion of a closure device.5 As Bernhard Meier said recently (personal communication, June 1, 2004), the only good PFO is a closed PFO!1 Quiroz R, Kucher N, Schoepf UJ, Kipfmueller F, Solomon SD, Costello P, Goldhaber SZ. Right ventricular enlargement on chest computed tomography: prognostic role in acute pulmonary embolism. Circulation. 2004; 109: 2401–2404.LinkGoogle Scholar2 Konstantinides S, Geibel A, Kasper W, Olschewski M, Blümel L, Just H. Patent foramen ovale is an important predictor of adverse outcome in patients with major pulmonary embolism. Circulation. 1998; 97: 1946–1951.CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3 Hagen PT, Scholz DG, Edwards WD. Incidence and size of patent foramen ovale during the first 10 decades of life: an autopsy study of 965 normal hearts. Mayo Clin Proc. 1984; 59: 17–20.CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4 Cheng TO. Paradoxical embolism: a diagnostic challenge and its detection during life. Circulation. 1976; 53: 565–568.LinkGoogle Scholar5 Cheng TO. Percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale is the procedure of choice for paradoxical embolism. Circulation. 2003; 108: e126.LinkGoogle Scholar Previous Back to top Next FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited By Cheng T (2014) All atrial septal defects should be closed, International Journal of Cardiology, 10.1016/j.ijcard.2014.05.007, 175:2, (224-225), Online publication date: 1-Aug-2014. Cheng T (2009) Mechanism of ST-elevation in precordial leads V1–V4 in acute pulmonary embolism, International Journal of Cardiology, 10.1016/j.ijcard.2009.01.041, 136:3, (251-252), Online publication date: 1-Aug-2009. Cheng T (2009) Coronary embolism, International Journal of Cardiology, 10.1016/j.ijcard.2009.01.005, 136:1, (1-3), Online publication date: 1-Jul-2009. Cheng T (2009) Paradoxical embolism presenting as pulmonary embolism, transient ischemic attack and acute myocardial infarction, International Journal of Cardiology, 10.1016/j.ijcard.2007.11.036, 134:1, (110-111), Online publication date: 1-May-2009. Cheng T (2006) Triggering activities of acute pulmonary embolism and paradoxical embolism, International Journal of Cardiology, 10.1016/j.ijcard.2005.04.033, 109:2, (280-281), Online publication date: 1-May-2006. September 28, 2004Vol 110, Issue 13 Advertisement Article InformationMetrics https://doi.org/10.1161/01.CIR.0000142869.40733.B1PMID: 15451815 Originally publishedSeptember 28, 2004 PDF download Advertisement SubjectsPrimary Prevention