Who is affected by pulmonary embolism

Approximately 600,000 people in the United States are estimated to develop pulmonary embolism each year. People who have a history of having blood clots are at a higher risk for developing them again. Approximately 20% of people who develop a new pulmonary embolism will have recurrent pulmonary embolism.¹ As many as 300,000 people in the U.S. die from pulmonary embolism each year.²

Pulmonary embolism affects white people more often than other races. The condition occurs in people of all ages, even children. But the risk increases with age. Most people are at a greater risk for pulmonary embolism after age 40. Women have a slightly higher risk during pregnancy and for a short time after pregnancy.³ The risk is also higher for women who take estrogen or estrogen-like hormones for birth control or to decrease the symptoms of menopause.^{4, 5}

Citations

1. Lee LC, Shah K (2001). Clinical manifestation of pulmonary embolism. Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America, 19(4): 925-942.

2. Tapson VF (2008). Acute pulmonary embolism. New England Journal of Medicine, 358(10): 1037-1052.

3. Hyers TM (1999). Venous thromboembolism. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 159(2): 1-14.

4. Grady D, et al. (2000). Postmenopausal hormone therapy increases risk for venous thromboembolic disease: The heart and estrogen/progestin replacement study. Annals of Internal Medicine, 132(9): 689-696.

5. Task Force for the Diagnosis and Management of Acute Pulmonary Embolism, European Society of Cardiology (2008). Guidelines on the diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolism. European Heart Journal, 29: 2276-2315. Available online: http://www.escardio.org/guidelines-surveys/esc-guidelines/GuidelinesDocuments/guidelines-APE-FT.pdf.