Emergency department diagnosis of pulmonary embolism is associated with significantly reduced mortality: A linked data population study

Abstract

Objectives: We characterized patients admitted via ED with a principal hospital discharge diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) and compared mortality of those diagnosed in the ED with those diagnosed after admission. Methods: Patients with a hospital discharge diagnosis ICD 10 I26 presenting to the ED in Perth, Western Australia between 1 July 2000 and 30 December 2006 had records from the Emergency Department Information System linked to the Western Australian Hospital Morbidity Data System and the death registry. Results: Of 2250 patients (mean age 60.4), 1227 (54.5%) were female. Of 1931 patients with an ED diagnosis recorded, 1207 (62.5%) were diagnosed with PE in ED. Of these, 383 (17.0..