Electrocardiographic Findings in Pulmonary Emboli

Pulmonary embolism (PE) has become increasingly evident with the advent of new diagnostic testing. A large presentation spectrum can make the diagnosis and risk stratification difficult. We continue to look for useful ways to identify these patients since pulmonary emboli can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. A test of diagnostic utility is the electrocardiogram (ECG). It is reported that seventy percent of patients with PE have an abnormal ECG. We aim to evaluate the current literature on ECG changes and their utility in the diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of PE.