This case highlights the need for a high index of suspicion for pulmonary embolism in postpartum patients presenting with non-specific symptoms like syncope, and emphasizes the importance of VTE prophylaxis in those with risk factors.
Supports vigilance for pulmonary embolism in postpartum syncope; leaves open optimal VTE prophylaxis strategies in obese patients.
Pregnancy is a well-known state of hypercoagubality, increasing the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). It is more common with cesarean delivery than vaginal delivery. Pulmonary Embolism (PE) is under diagnosed during pregnancy and postpartum period as majority of signs and symptoms of PE are non-specific. We describe a case of 35-yearold obese female who suffered a syncopal attack following caesarean delivery and was diagnosed to have pulmonary embolism. A high index of suspicion is required for the timely diagnosis and treatment of PE as most of the signs and symptoms of PE are nonspecific. It is important to consider VTE prophylaxis especially in patients with risk factors.
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Pandey et al. (2016) studied this question.
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