Yale: Medical disorders related to blood clots are major contributors to
disease and death worldwide. Two such disorders — atrial fibrillation
and pulmonary embolism — may commonly occur in the same patients. To
study this association, a team of investigators, led by Dr. Behnood
Bikdeli, conducted a systematic review of the medical literature. The
research team found that pulmonary embolism and atrial fibrillation
share several common risk factors, such as obesity, heart failure,
inflammation, surgery, atherosclerosis (clogged arteries), and old age.
They also observed that the risk of pulmonary embolism is increased in
patients with atrial fibrillation. In addition, they noted that in
patients with pulmonary embolism, coexisting atrial fibrillation was
associated with higher risk for worse outcomes, such as shock and death.
While
long-term use of anticoagulants (blood thinners) in high-risk patients
with either pulmonary embolism or atrial fibrillation is a routine
treatment, low-risk patients do not typically receive it. Given their
findings, and although there is no direct study to have tested it, the
authors suggest that anticoagulants should be considered in patients
suffering from both conditions. They recommend further research on the
subject to better clarify the benefits and harms of such a strategy.
Read the full paper in
Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis.
