Write a report on one of the 1-hour BMJ learning modules. Topic. Pulmonary Embolism It must be 1500 words (excluding tables, appendices and references)

 Pulmonary Embolism

Introduction

Pulmonary embolism, a cardiovascular disorder that is mainly characterized by shortness of breath (dyspnea) and chest heaviness, is among the leading causes for mortality, hospitalization, and morbidity [1-2]. The condition is one of the consequential diseases of venous thromboembolism – the other being deep vein thrombosis [2]. The complexities in the presentation and the presence of multiple differential diagnoses for the condition make the disease important in healthcare. Firstly, many individuals with pulmonary embolism have been reported to have presented symptoms or diagnosable clinical presentations of the disease when the condition is in its severe state [1]. In other cases, pulmonary embolism has presented in sudden death, which reduces the opportunity of timely commencement of treatment and effective management of the disease [1]. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines identified the asymptomatic presentation of PE as one of the leading causes of delayed diagnosis and the high rate of undiagnosed individuals [1]. However, reports from the diagnosis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) estimate PE to be present in 60 to 70 per 100,000 people [3]. PE has also been reported to be a comorbidity of some chronic diseases, as well as, a prognostic consequence in multiple medical conditions including cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and, deep vein thrombosis [3-4]. Multiple treatment plans exist including surgical interventions and intravenous thrombosis. The report examines pulmonary embolism including