Risk factors in pulmonary embolism.

The influence of several diseases and conditions upon the prevalence of pulmonary embolism in autopsies performed during a ten year period at the University of Michigan has been analyzed. The major factors contributing to an increase in risk of development of pulmonary embolism include heart disease, certain types of cancer, obesity, acute paraplegia and accidental and operative trauma. These and several other risk factors defined in other studies should be used in a selective program designed to increase the rate of detection of deep venous thrombosis before pulmonary embolism occurs, or alternatively, patients at increased risk should receive prophylactic low dosage heparin therapy during hospitalization.