Foreword

Article Outline

• Copyright

Acute pulmonary embolism is a common clinical problem. It accounted for about 0.64% of hospitalized patients aged ≥20 years and 110 patients per 100,000 of the adult population. It may also be the major cause of death. Since 1985, large or fatal pulmonary emboli were observed in 6% of those who had an autopsy.

There is a large amount of data on the etiology, risk factors, appropriate diagnostic testing, and management of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). Dr. Paul Stein has huge clinical and research experience, has published about 200 articles on PE in peer-reviewed journals, and is recognized as a world expert on this topic. Drs. Stein and Matta have provided a comprehensive and definitive review of acute PE that has 206 references, 19 tables, and 26 figures.

The Editorial Board and I are grateful to Drs. Stein and Matta for this superb article. We are also grateful to Dr. James E. Dalen^⁎ for his authoritative comments.

• ⁎ James E. Dalen, MD, MPH, is Executive Director of the Weil Foundation. He has had a distinguished academic career. He is Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ.