[Syncope as presentation form of pulmonary thromboembolism. Study of 15 cases].

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the prevalence of syncope as a form of presentation of pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) in the emergency department of a general hospital.

METHODS

All the cases of PTE having gone to the emergency department between May 1983 and July 1989 were collected. A radiography of the thorax, arterial gasometry, an electrocardiogram and a pulmonary perfusion scintigraphy were performed in each patient. Ventilation scintigraphy and/or pulmonary DIVAS were also carried out when necessary.

RESULTS

Of a total of 63 patients, 15 (24%) had a syncope as a primary manifestation. No significant differences were observed in regards to predisposing factors between the syncope group (S) and the non-syncope group (NS) with there being a predominance of women in the S group (p less than 0.05). Furthermore, the S group had a greater prevalence of tachycardia, hypotension, electrocardiographic changes, pleural effusion and perfusion defect greater than 50% in the pulmonary scintigraphy.

CONCLUSIONS

PTE should be discarded in any patient with a clinical picture of syncope with hypotension and tachycardia, especially if female. When PTE is presented as a syncope it is generally a massive embolism.